Black Petals
by Ryan the Game Master
Summary: Amy's world has been turned upside down. Now she must find a new purpose for her life, her own place in the sun...lest this Rose die in the darkness. Read the prologue first.
1. Discolored Heart

**Hello. If you haven't read the prologue to this story, please do so.**

**This tale is being written to explore some much needed character for Amy Rose. If you think she's fine as is and shouldn't change, _do not read this_.**

**There's your warning.**

**Amy Rose and any other characters within are owned by Service Games (SEGA).**

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Running. That's all she could do. She ran and ran and ran until her feet ached. And then she kept running.

She could not see where she was going, because her vision was blurry with tears. This was fitting, seeing as her world has been turned upside down into a jumbled mess. She must have stumbled over her own feet countless times, but she didn't care. She just had to get away from the pain...

Eventually, Amy was forced to stop, as she collided into a tree and fell on her rear. Looking at the old tree, she glared at it and, whipping out her Piko Piko Hammer, proceeded to whack at it until it fell, screaming in anguish all the while. When the tree was no more, she fell to her knees and continued sobbing. "Sonic...you jerk..." she hiccuped. As her tears continued to fall, a low voice brought her out of her misery-tinted haze.

"Well, you've made quite a mess here, haven't you?"

Amy turned around fast and saw the voice's owner: a black-furred hedgehog with a strong presence...and an even stronger resemblance to her crush...rather, her former crush.

"Shadow..."

"Yes. Mind telling me why you decided to level an innocent tree?" he asked in his usual no-nonsense tone. "That's none of your business, Shadow," Amy spat back. She was in no mood to talk to anyone, especially someone who looked so much like...him. "Perhaps not," Shadow went on, "But when someone decides to demolish something within my vicinity at random, it becomes my business." Amy rolled her puffy eyes at that reasoning. "So, what happened? Did Sonic break up with you or something?"

"Don't say his name..." she growled. Shadow, however, did not hear that, and continued. "No, I suppose not. You'd have to be dating for that to happen, and he'd have to be interested in you in the first place." Amy clenched her fists tighter. "Shut up..."

His ears perked up at that. It seemed he wasn't that far off from the mark. Deciding that a lesson needed to be learned here, Shadow callously pressed the issue. "Judging from your reaction, and the way you stormed in these woods like an infant, I can only assume he finally decided to be honest with you and tell you he didn't want you."

"SHUT UP!" Amy yelled. "I don't think so," Shadow replied. "This has been a long time coming, Amy. For as long as I've known you, you've been hopelessly stuck on that fool. I'm surprised he chose to stop leading you on at all." Amy wordlessly glared at him, which dampened his interest quicker than one would think. "Hmph. Believe it or not, part of me was concerned, but I can see talking to you is, as usual, a waste of time. You can mourn all day for all I care." He then turned to leave.

As he did, he casually moved his head to the left, just as a red and yellow object blurred past him, and returned, causing Shadow to move his head to the other side. The Piko Piko Hammer then returned to its owner, whose head was lowered in barely contained fury.

"Take that back."

Shadow remained still. "No."

"Take it back, Shadow," Amy repeated.

Again, he said, "No."

"TAKE IT BACK, YOU JERK!"

Shadow, having been fed up with her attitude, was more than ready for what was about to happen. "**MAKE ME.**"

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_And there we go. Please let me know what you think thus far. Thank you._


	2. Reality Check

**Thank you for all the feedback. I really appreciate it.**

**Now, bear in mind that this chapter won't be kind to Miss Rose. This is because Shadow is not an immediately kind person. I will admit to playing up Shadow's cruel side, but frustration can lower anyone's patience.**

**Shadow and Amy are owned by Service Games (SEGA).**

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Shadow the Hedgehog is a living weapon. To him, that is a fact...and it frightens him. All too often, he has found himself having to exercise restraint in order to prevent civilian casualties and lessen property damage. At times, it could be incredibly frustrating to handicap himself as such. This was one of those times.

What had started as a lesson was starting to turn into a headache for the Ultimate Lifeform. He had dodged multiple rage-induced swings from Amy already, whose style of fighting was not only undisciplined, but also erratic and impulsive. _'...Much like her,' _he concluded to himself. As she attempted to hit him with a Homing Attack, she held her hammer out during the spin in order to do any damage. Shadow rolled his eyes and waited. Amy zeroed in on him and he waited. Closer...closer...closer...

"Chaos Control."

With that invocation, time froze. Amy's hammer was but a centimeter from his face. As he casually strolled to her side (like a boss, one might say), he got a good look at her face. Amy's expression was usually one of cheer and optimism. At that moment, however, it was one of anguish and pain. Shadow sighed and rubbed his temple as he snapped his fingers, ending the time-space distortion, which promptly sent Amy, without a target, careening off course. The girl skidded a few meters before stopping. Bewildered, she frantically looked around for the hedgehog that had the gall to insult her. Said hedgehog just zoomed past her on his Air Shoes. Still very angry, she gave chase.

Shadow led her to an open clearing, nearby a giant boulder. Calmly, he waited.

"NOW I'VE GOT YOU!"

Upon hearing that, Shadow rolled his eyes for what seemed to be the hundredth time and thought to himself, _'All right, enough of this.' _He then turned around and saw Amy charging at him. He glared and calmly braced himself for her attack. She screamed and swung her hammer...only to have it halted mid-swing by the palm of his left hand. Amy was stunned. No one had ever had the guts to try and stop her Piko Piko Hammer like that, much less do it!

"You fool." Shadow's disgust was made painfully clear to Amy now, if not by that statement, then by the backhanded slap that immediately followed afterwards (done with his right hand).

And with those two actions, the fight, if you could call it that, was over. Shadow, the winner, was looking upon the girl who attacked him with impatience and contempt. Amy, the loser, rubbed her bruising cheek and stared at the one who struck her with shame, bewilderment and especially, fear. Now that she had been brought out of her sorrow-induced rage, she remembered just what Shadow was capable of doing...and she was frightened out of her wits.

"Hmph. Are you ready to admit your own foolishness, Miss Rose?" he asked her arrogantly. She quickly nodded yes and glanced at her Piko Piko Hammer, which was now in Shadow's possession. "My hammer...h-how did you...?" Shadow glanced at the weapon in question and shook his head. "Have you forgotten that you are not the only one who knows how to fight with weapons? Stopping this thing was a trifle matter."

"I see," Amy understood. "All right, you win. Now give it back." Shadow shook his head in response. "What?" Amy was confused. "But, you won."

"Yes, I did." Shadow confirmed. "Then give it back," Amy repeated. "I said no," repeated Shadow. "Give it back!" Amy shouted. "Or you'll do what?" Shadow fired back. She wanted to show him, but stopped herself. He still had her weapon after all, and she knew her boxercise would be useless against him. So, she kept quiet. "Tch, yeah. That's what I thought. And as for this stupid thing," Shadow gripped it in his hands, trying to resist the urge to break it in two, "It has been holding you back, and, for that matter, so has Sonic. You'll never get anywhere pining over him. If you don't get stronger, how do you expect to impress or protect anyone?"

"I-"

Shadow immediately cut her off. He would have none of her ridiculous excuses. Not today. "Did you ever consider why Sonic always leaves you behind? Why the Doctor always considers you an easy target? Why everyone else is so damn afraid of you on occasion?"

"I'm-"

"It's because you're weak and childish! You think that all you have to do is swing this stupid hammer around and you'll get your way! Without it, you're **nothing**!"

"That's not true!" Amy shouted in protest.

"The hell it isn't!" Shadow shouted back. "Everyone knows it, including Sonic!"

Amy felt the tears returning... "Sonic wouldn't say that!"

"Of course he wouldn't! He's too damn nice! He considers you a friend, of course, but you're too blind and selfish to see that that's all he wants from you! Seriously, has he ever given the slightest hint of liking you the same way?"

Amy racked her brain for a response, but could only recall instances where Sonic had been annoyed, freaked out or just downright irritated by her presence. "But..."

Shadow noticed her resolve breaking and went for the coup de grace. "Name me one time that Sonic has shown you any special, "romantic" attention without the Doctor around or this dumbass hammer in your hand. ONE. TIME."

...

"Precisely. If you think that anyone could love you with the way you've been acting, you're sadly mistaken. Now..." Shadow finished as he tossed back her Piko Piko Hammer, "I suggest you leave, or you'll have more than a broken heart and bruised cheek to nurse."

Amy said nothing as she retrieved her childhood weapon and left the forest, dragging it behind her. As Shadow watched her go, he sighed. _'I'm truly sorry, Amy, but it was long overdue. It's up to you to figure out what do next.'_

Later that night, in Central City, Amy sat alone in her bedroom. Her mind was a painful fog. Sonic would never be hers...what was she supposed to do with her life now? What purpose did she have for living? She had no answer. And so, she did the only thing she could think of...

...and cried. She cried, and cried, and cried...until she fell asleep.

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_There you have it. As always, feedback is appreciated. Thank you._


	3. The Seed is Planted

**Shadow the Hedgehog, Amy Rose and the rest of their ilk are property of Service Games (SEGA).**

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A week had passed since that day. No one had heard from Amy since then. Cream had tried to check on her friend, but to no avail. Tails offered to help in some way, but received no response. Everyone was worried, but Sonic insisted that she would be fine and just needed time.

Elsewhere, Shadow the Hedgehog was filling in his partner, Rouge, on the situation regarding the girl.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!" Rouge laughed through Shadow's transceiver. "You really let her have it, huh? I wish I could've been there to see that brat get what was coming to her." Shadow, however, was less tolerant of her haughtiness today. "Be quiet, Rouge. It's not like I wanted to." Rouge sensed that he was troubled by what had happened and said, "Seriously, you did the right thing. Trust me, sometimes a girl needs a reality check in order to move on. She'll be a lot better off."

Shadow was silent as he contemplated her words, though Rouge took it as more brooding. "Ok, now what's on your mind?" she asked. "Nothing," Shadow replied. "Don't worry about it." Rouge knew Shadow well enough to know when to drop a matter that he was not going to discuss and decided to get back to work. "All right. I'll talk to you later, Shadow." He nodded on his end. "Take care." He then shut the transceiver off and continued eating his lunch, a single hot dog. _'Why Sonic insists on putting chili on these things is beyond me...'_

Suddenly, an unexpected voice called out. "Shadow! Shadow, where are you?" He could not believe his ears. _'What is she doing back here...?' _Preparing himself for another fight, Shadow finished his hot dog and warped from the tree branch he had been sitting on. In a flash, he appeared behind the voice. "What now?" he said, more of a statement than a question. Amy gave a short "Eep!" and jumped back in surprise. "Well?" Shadow impatiently pressed. "Did you come back for another round?" Amy shook her head. "Then what do you want with me, Amy? And it had better be good."

Amy took a deep breath and said, "I...I want to get stronger." Shadow folded his arms in an unconvinced manner. "Oh, really?" Amy replied, "Yes, really. I want to show everyone that I'm not a nuisance. That I can be more, do more. I want to grow, for myself."

"And I assume you want my help?" Shadow concluded. When she nodded, he said, "Hmph. Meaningless words." Amy pouted at that. "They aren't!" Taking a step back, Shadow said, "Then prove it. Show me your conviction." Knowing he would test her, Amy quickly brought out her Piko Piko Hammer and charged at Shadow. As she attacked and he defended, Shadow noticed that her swings were a bit more focused than the last time they fought. This showed that Amy was calmer this time. Still, she was undisciplined and he knew what to do to defeat her.

After dodging a few more swings, Shadow decided to go on the offensive and punched Amy in the stomach. He followed this up with an uppercut and a roundhouse kick, which sent the girl flying and knocked a substantial amount of Rings out of her possession. Since she dropped her hammer, Shadow retrieved it and walked over to a sizable rock that was nearby. Amy shook the stars out of her head long enough to see Shadow jam her signature weapon into the stone. "Shadow, what are you doing?" She ran over and tried to get it out, but it was no use. "Darn it! I can't get it out!"

"Exactly." Confused, Amy asked, "But how am I supposed to fight without it?" Shadow answered, "Like I said, it's been holding you back." Amy attempted to protest, but she was cut off. "No. If you're serious about getting stronger, you should be willing to go to any lengths to achieve your goal! Now attack me, if you can!"

The bout that followed was a rather short one. Suffice to say, Amy was soundly defeated. Shadow looked upon the girl in front of him, his expression doing well to hide his thoughts. "Hmph. Pathetic." Amy winced from the insult, but had no choice but to agree. "You're right. I'm weak." Shadow nodded and said, "You'll just have to get stronger, now won't you?"

"What do you mean?" Amy asked bitterly.

"Guess."

Amy sat there puzzled for a moment, until...

"You mean...?"

"Yes. I will train you," Shadow answered. "I have a promise to keep, after all." Amy gasped as the memory flashed in her mind: she and Shadow, alone on the Space Colony ARK... _'He remembered...' _This revelation was unexpected, to say the least. That Shadow actually recalled something she said to him so long ago...

"Are you listening?" Amy eeped again and said, "Y-Yes!" "Then what did I say?" he asked. Amy tried to recall, but failed and gave an awkward smile.

Shadow just rolled his eyes in annoyance. "As I was saying, there are guidelines you must follow if you want me to train you. 1: You will not be getting your hammer back until the training is complete, so don't even ask. 2: You will be shown no mercy from me. Be prepared to fight for your very life. And 3: Lose that flimsy dress. It's cute, but it's only going to get in the way. Wear some sporting gear or something. Are we clear?"

Amy nodded in agreement, but... "Wait, did you say I'm cute?"

"Yeah," Shadow answered plainly. "What of it?"

Amy shrugged it off. "Um, nothing."

"Then go home, rest and get packed," Shadow finished. "It will be the last time you go back for a while. Return here tomorrow morning, early. And be prepared for battle." Amy nodded in understanding and turned to leave, but remembered something. "Oh, Shadow!"

"Yes?" he asked.

"Thank you," Amy said. "I'm really grateful for this chance." He simply stared. "Hm. Showing me you're not wasting my time will be gratitude enough." With nothing more to say for the moment, Amy ran back to Soleanna's Castle Town to catch the transport home. She had a determined expression as she went. "Shadow's right. I have to get stronger. I have to prove to myself and to the others that I'm not useless! I can be just as strong and amazing as everyone else! Just wait, everyone...especially you, Sonic!"

Shadow watches her go with the lightest hint of a smile. _'Maria, are you watching? She is the one who reminded me of my promise to you. In a way, I owe my new life to her. I will do my best to help her...just as you and the Professor did for me.'_

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_Amy's taken the first step to becoming a new girl, though it won't be easy. Hope you liked this one.  
_


	4. The Training Begins

**Thank you all for your support. When I first started this story, it was originally going to be a script for a mini-series I wanted to do. But, a friend of mine convinced me to port it as a fanfic, to see if it would work in the first place. So far, it's done well! ^_^**

**Shadow the Hedgehog and Amy Rose are owned by Service Games (SEGA).  
**

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It is mid-morning in Soleanna. By this time, most people are already hard at work making sure the City of Water continues to prosper. Their princess was even rumored to be studying various subjects in order to better benefit her people. Yes, all was as it should be. In the forest, a different kind of routine was about to begin...

Amy had returned to the appointed area where she was to begin her training. Along with food, bandages (taking her trainer into account, she figured she'd sustain more than a few injuries) and other supplies, she arrived in the attire she usually wore whilst aboard Extreme Gear, as she figured more sporty clothes would suit her training better. When she arrived, something was off. The clearing was empty. Her Piko Piko Hammer was still stuck in the rock where her trainer left it, but other than that, there was nothing out of the ordinary. "Hello?" she called out. "Shadow! I'm here!" But, there was no answer. This made the hedgehog girl worried. What if Shadow changed his mind?

Such concerns were made moot when she noticed a flash above her head. Looking up, she gasped and leapt to the left, just barely dodging four Chaos Spears. She tried to get her bearings when a dark, unamused voice spoke from behind her. "You're late, Miss Rose."

Before Amy could apologize, Shadow fiercely kicked her in the back, sending her to the ground. "Shadow, I'm sorry!" she stated as she struggled to get back up. "I overslept and-"

Shadow cut her off with a Spin Dash. "No excuses!" Amy, managing to land on her feet, tried to placate him. "Shadow, wait! I'm not ready!" Shadow, however, jumped into the air, replied, "Not my problem," and struck her with his Shadow Rocket attack. "I did say you'd get no mercy, didn't I?"

"Y-Yes?" Amy answered worriedly. "Then you had better defend yourself!" Shadow shouted and charged her. Seeing that nothing she said would help matters, Amy resigned herself and took a defensive stance. Shadow performed various high strikes, low attacks and feints, all of which Amy had no hope of countering. Every now and then, Shadow would slow up somewhat and Amy, thinking she had an opening, would move in to attack. But, she was always denied and punished accordingly with a heavy combo, forcing Rings away from her.

After a few minutes of this, Shadow decided to let Amy take the lead and went defensive. Seeing this opportunity, she charged in. Amy attempted various fancy attacks, but Shadow had no problem blocking them. When he blocked a high kick, Shadow performed a leg sweep and followed up with an axe kick. But, Amy rolled out of the way before it connected, forcing Shadow to halt the attack before his leg hit the ground. _'Hm. Decent evasion,' _he mentally noted.

Amy slowly got up and tried to catch her breath. "What *pant* was the point *pant pant* of that beating?" Shadow stood and answered, "To work on your physical strength and reaction time. You have grace, to be sure, but that won't get you far against opponents like me. You leave yourself wide open to attack."

_'He's right,'_ she thought. _'Every time I tried to be fancy with my counterattacks, he'd strike me almost immediately.' _Shadow continued, "You need to be able to endure anything that gets thrown at you and react accordingly. You'll build up endurance and stamina in the process." This was informative, but still frustrating for Amy, who was not used to attacking barehanded. Amy frustratedly glanced at her Piko Piko Hammer, which was still stuck in the rock. Noticing that, Shadow glared and tossed a Chaos Spear at her. Amy gasped and managed to dodge it.

"What the heck, Shadow!" Amy cried out. Shadow fought down a smirk. "How easily we forget. I said you're not getting that hammer back until your training is complete. I did that for a reason, you know." Amy's confused expression spoke volumes, so he elaborated. "Up until now, you've been able to get by simply because you had your Piko Piko Hammer wielded. If you didn't or if you were captured before you could bring it out, you were stuck, right?" Amy's first encounter with Dr. Robotnik's mechanical menace, Metal Sonic, came to mind. "...Oh."

Shadow continued, "You need to work on your strength and power so you will be better equipped to defend yourself in any and all situations. Understood?" Amy tiredly nodded, but asked, "I know I have to get stronger and improve my stamina and all that, but do you have to be so rough about it? I am a lady, you know." Shadow resisted the urge to sneer and said, "If you were expecting me to pull my punches even the slightest bit, you are sadly mistaken. Gender has no meaning in battle. You're either strong or you are weak. You **will **learn this lesson, even if it breaks you. Got it?"

Amy nodded in understanding, feeling that she shouldn't have asked. _'Something tells me this is going to be more dangerous than I thought...'_

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_And thus begins her training. Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Review if you wish and spread the word. Thank you.  
_


	5. Rome Took Forever

**Hello again. Just so you know, Amy's training isn't going to end in the blink of an eye. It takes time to grow in strength, power, body and mind. Sometimes, it can seem to take forever.**

For example, say you're trying to lose weight. You diet, exercise all that stuff. Yet when you weigh yourself each week, the progress made seems to be pitiful, and that's if you've made progress at all. Sadly, this is especially tough for women, who have a tougher time shedding pounds than men do.

**Now, the easy way out would be to simply give up. Well, that's a coward's way. I know. I've done it many times whilst attempting to lose weight and get strong myself. The key is perseverance and patience. You're not going to get fit, trim and strong overnight. You have to be willing to see it through to the end.  
**

**And that's what we'll see here. Progress made slowly, but surely. Rome wasn't built in a day, after all.  
**

**Amy Rose and Shadow the Hedgehog are owned by Service Games (SEGA).  
**

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"Training from Hell". The type of brutal, painful, near-inhumane training protagonists are often forced to go through in order to get strong(er). These usually last for an unrealistic amount of time (if they're shown at all). One would often find regimens such as this in media from Chun-Nan and neighboring countries. Unfortunately for one Amy Rose, she has found herself living such a scenario.

For the past 2 weeks, she has been forced to endure Shadow's merciless training. In the morning, she would eat breakfast (whatever Shadow was willing to get from the shops while Amy slept), do some light warm-ups and gather enough Rings to protect herself. Once she was ready, Shadow would begin the training for the day. He would relentlessly attack Amy in order to improve her defensive skills. This proved to be beneficial, as she learned to brace herself and not be too much of a sitting duck. Shadow still broke through her defenses and hurt her, of course, but she learned how to endure the pain, to a degree.

After a few hours of this, they would take a break, allowing Amy to tend to the worst of the injuries she'd sustained. Once the break was over, it was her turn to attack Shadow however she wished. This was to get her more used to hand-to-hand combat. She had yet to land a hit on the more experienced hedgehog, but Amy was beginning to get the hang of fighting without her hammer, something Shadow noticed. After more hours of attacking, they would eat lunch and look for replacement Rings, and then Amy would be on the defensive again until nightfall.

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"So?" Amy asked during one of their breaks, whilst nursing a few bruises on her left leg. "How am I doing, Shadow?" The black hedgehog curtly nodded. "Hm. Adequate. Looks like you've finally gotten the gist of my fighting technique. Now you just need a style of your own." Amy thought about that, when suddenly, it hit her. "Hey, what about my boxercise training with Emerl and Cream?"

"Ah, that. I've been seeing some of that in your 'fighting' lately. I imagine that training is all that is keeping you standing right now. I've seen worse, but you will need to be faster in order for it to work, though." Amy nodded and said, "In that case..." She then lifted up her shirt, revealing a weight on her waist. When she removed it, a sizable crater was made. Shadow's shock from this was amplified when Amy repeated this for the weights on her legs and wrists. _'S-She actually had those things on?'_

Amy took note of Shadow's surprise and giggled to herself while stretching. "After Emerl passed on, I stopped using them, but when you agreed to train me, I decided to go back to them. Now I think I'm ready for you." Covering his shock, he replied, "Hmph. Very well, let's see what all that 'boxercise' nonsense is really good for, if you can remember it all." Amy then rushed in, and Shadow noticed that her strikes, while still rudimentary, were much faster and, especially in the case of her legs, somewhat more powerful. He took note of this as she continued her attacks. After another hour or so had passed, Shadow ended the session with an elbow to Amy's midsection and an overhead throw.

"Well, well," Shadow said as he walked up to her rising form, "You almost got a halfway decent shot in." Amy smiled weakly as she began to stumble. Shadow quickly caught her with no small amount of distaste. "Please. Worn out already?" When Amy nodded in apology, he said, "Whatever. Now's as good a time as any for a break, I guess."

Shadow carried her through the woods to a stream with many trees alongside it. One tree that was across the stream was in bloom with many flowers on it. This spot was said to be a favorite of Soleanna's princess, for reasons not even she was aware of...

When Shadow warped to the tree, he sat Amy down underneath it and brushed a loose strand of hair from her face. Indulging himself a little, he watched her sleep, taking notice of just how pretty she was. He never got a chance to view her in this manner, since she was usually chasing after a certain rival of his. Now that she was calm, he saw that she did have some amount of beauty about her.

The moment was utterly broken when Amy muttered, "Sonic..." and Shadow excused himself to get some food. _'I shouldn't be surprised. It's only been a few weeks.'_

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_Thank you for your support, as always.  
_


	6. Settling In

**This chapter is short, but I hope you enjoy it all the same.**

**Amy and Shadow belong to Service Games (SEGA).  
**

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Amy began to awaken from her nap, slowly. Strangely enough, she felt rather refreshed. The pain from her wounds had even faded, somewhat. She looked to her left, and there was her trainer, Shadow, asleep next to her, beneath the tree. Noting how peaceful he looked - _'For once'_ - she knelt close to him and watched him sleep. It was almost hard to believe that this was the same hedgehog who almost tried to destroy the very planet he now slumbered upon. Amy wondered why he couldn't be this...relaxed...all the time. She, of course, knew why, which made her existing sympathy for the Ultimate Lifeform all the more greater. _'Shadow...you've been through so much,_ she thought to herself. _'Maria's death, the ARK incident, your amnesia, the Black Arms...it's amazing that you're so strong throughout it all. I've always admired that strength. You can be scary and kind of a jerk sometimes, but...'_She smiled as she finished aloud, "I trust you, Shadow. I really do."

"Your trust is noted."

This unexpected reply spooked Amy, who meeped and scooted back. Shadow then opened his eyes and continued, "If that's the case, then we won't have any problems with your training, correct?" Amy nodded confidently. "Good," Shadow said. "Now let's get something to eat. You'll need the energy for the rest of the day."

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Another training session has ended. The landscape looked beat up and spilled Rings were vanishing steadily. Amy struggled to remain on her feet, while Shadow casually ate an apple he had found during a random bit of Chaos Control. "You still get tired too easily, Amy," he noted. "Yeah, yeah," she replied with slight irritation. "Just another thing I gotta work on, right?" Shadow quickly tripped her with a leg sweep and said, "Alongside that attitude of yours, yes. Now get up and let's go. It's getting dark." Amy quickly got up and followed Shadow as he headed back to camp.

As they went, Amy pleaded, "Can we please head back to town to sleep? I'm tired of sleeping out here. It's not the least bit comfortable." Shadow fought down an annoyed groan and answered, "No. Part of survival is to adapt to your surroundings." Amy glanced at him and said, "Wait a second! I thought this was just combat training! You didn't say anything about survival!"

"Hm. Are you certain I didn't?" When Amy nodded, Shadow said, "I wonder. My memory is still a bit fuzzy at times." Amy quickly realized he was just being a smartass and said, "...Hilarious." Shadow actually snickered at that.

Soon, they came across a small clearing with tall trees overhead a waterfall across the way. Agreeing that this would suffice, Shadow and Amy worked together to set up camp and get a fire going. When they were finished, Amy set up her sleeping bag while Shadow stared into the flames. "Hey, Shadow," Amy asked as she snuggled into her sleeping bag," What's the next phase in my training gonna be like?" Keeping his gaze at the fire, Shadow answered, "You'll find out when you get there. You've got a long way to go until then. Now get some sleep."

Amy shrugged and got comfortable. However, no matter how long or how often she turned, she couldn't nod off. As she got more and more frustrated, she began to hear a tune being whistled in the night air. Recognizing it as Shadow's whistling, she listened and found herself enjoying the tune. So much, in fact, that she began to relax and, in turn, fall asleep. Shadow followed soon after.

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_Shadow is whistling "Never Turn Back", just so you know._

_Please let me know how I'm doing. Thank you.  
_


	7. A Peaceful Morning

**Greetings. I decided to have a little fun with a common cliche here.**

**Shadow and Amy are owned by Service Games (SEGA).  
**

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The sun was slowly rising above the woods of Soleanna. Shadow the Hedgehog soon awoke from his slumber and stretched, ready to start training anew. "Wake up, Amy. It's time to start training." When he didn't hear his charge's drowsily annoyed grumblings, he repeated, "Come on, Miss Rose. Don't make me ask you again." Still nothing. Irritated, he matched over to her sleeping bag and kicked it into a tree. Much to his surprise, it was empty. "What the..." This was odd. Where could she have gone? Could she have bailed on the training? "Inexcusable!" Furiously, Shadow rushed across the woods, zooming this way and that, looking for Amy. After a fruitless 20 minute search, he headed over to the nearby stream...

He found her...and was stunned at what he saw. Then, an embarrassed scream was heard, and Shadow was knocked back into the woods. When Shadow got up, he noticed something he was too preoccupied to earlier: Amy's clothes hanging on a branch above him. _'...Right. She is a girl, after all.' _Said girl soon called out to him, in an angry voice, "WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING, YOU PERV?" Shadow, expecting this tirade, kept his back turned and answered with a growl, "Looking for you! How the hell was I supposed to know you were bathing?"

Amy shouted, "DUH! My clothes are right frickin' there! You're lucky you took my hammer, otherwise you wouldn't be standing right now!" Shadow rolled his eyes and shot back, "Tch, I don't know why you're so upset." He then added, "It's not like you've got much to show, anyway." As he started heading back to camp, he heard, "YOU LITTLE PRICK! WHEN I GET OUT OF HERE, **YOU ARE IN FOR IT!**"

Shadow soon arrived back to their training grounds. He thought about what just happened and, in spite of himself, he started chuckling, which soon became laughter. He was still laughing when Amy stomped back, fully clothed but not completely dry. Still pissed, she asked, "What, pray tell, is so funny? I've never seen you laugh like this." Shadow calmed down a little and answered, "Oh, not much; just you." Amy just growled. "Now, now," Shadow snickered, "It was merely an accident. Calm down."

Amy wasn't accepting that and hissed, "Whatever. Don't think you're getting out of your ass beating that easily." That statement brought Shadow's mood right back down to normal. "If anyone's getting their ass beat, it's you."

With that, the training commenced, with Shadow starting on the defensive. Amy charged at him and attacked with much fervor, but while she was getting stronger, she was still too slow, and Shadow took advantage of this with every combo she failed to use. _'Hmph. She needs to be quicker and more focused with her attacks,'_ he noted. _'Her moves are too easy to read and are just asking to be countered.'_He quickly pushed her aside after a brutal counterattack and said, "Try it again, and this time, concentrate!"

This time around, Amy focused on reading Shadow's movements and, while attacking, preparing herself for whatever he may try. After two painful hours, she finally found an opening in Shadow's right side and quickly kicked him. As he backed away, she excitedly thought, _'I...I can feel it. I'm getting stronger! The training is working!' _Feeling triumphant, she declared, "That was for earlier!"

"Duly noted, but!" Shadow leapt into the air, preparing a Homing Attack. "Don't get cocky!" As he shot towards her, Amy tried to counter with a Homing Attack of her own, but she was knocked away. "Oww." As Shadow hovered above her, he looked at her form. Somehow, she looked a bit tougher than when she first came to him. And, a tiny bit more womanly. Still, nothing to fawn over. "Sorry, but you've got a ways to go."

"I know, I know," Amy replied. "But I'm getting there, aren't I?" Shadow nodded and said, "Yes, to be honest. You're making progress. Now, let's get some breakfast, shall we?"

* * *

_Hope you liked this one.  
_

_Ok, just so you know, the next chapter will skip ahead a great deal of time, so I recommend keeping your eyes open for the Interlude to this story. Also, read the Black Petals Prologue if you haven't already.  
_

_As always, thank you for your support.  
_


	8. The Satisfaction of Battle

**Hello, everyone. If you haven't read Amy's Interlude (and you _should_), a year and seven months have passed in this story. Amy has grown in strength and ability, and she's going through a major growth spurt. Let's see how far she's come, shall we?**

**Amy and Shadow belong to Service Games (SEGA).  
**

* * *

It was late afternoon in the forests of Soleanna. Amy strolled from where she was writing and met Shadow at their current training grounds. When she arrived, she wondered why he sounded so urgent.

"What's up, Shadow?" she asked. He answered, "I must admit, Amy, you've come a long way since you first started. So, I believe it's time to show all that you have learned." Amy looked puzzled at first, until it hit her. "You mean...?" Shadow nodded. "Yes. A no-holds-barred duel. I shall attack you with full force, using all my power." This statement drew an unbelievably happy response from her. _'Yes, finally!' _Shadow continued, "Since I will be using full strength, you will be expected to put all your training to the test if you want to, at the very least, survive."

"Ok," Amy said, literally shaking with excitement. "Can...can I attack now? Please?" Shadow looked at Amy strangely. "What's your problem?" he asked. "N-Nothing!" she replied. "I'm eager to get started!" Shadow still looked a bit concerned, but he put it aside. "Hm. Very well, then, let's go. Come, Amy!" _'Not without you, Shadow...' _Amy thought perversely.

Shadow began by warping behind Amy and tripping her. Before she could fall, she was knocked back with his Chaos Magic technique. Amy bounced and was back on her feet. Shadow warped behind her again, but this time, she twirled around with a kick, anticipating at attack. When Shadow blocked her kick, he snapped his fingers and BAM! Chaos Magic was used once more, and Amy was sent flying, losing quite a bit of Rings as a result. But, she landed on her feet once more and dashed toward him like a girl on a mission. She could hardly believe this has happening! Her, Amy Rose, facing the Ultimate Lifeform at full power, throwing everything she had at him. This is was what she had been waiting months for, the rush of battle, the surge of adrenaline...as far as she knew, this was what being a woman felt like, and she didn't want it to end.

The battle went on with both combatants giving their all. Amy had suffered multiple wounds and more than a few cuts. She felt none of it, however and just kept charging at Shadow until finally...A HIT! Amy leapt and struck Shadow with a sudden axe kick to his right shoulder. The hedgehog leapt back and was surprised by the sudden sensation, and that it cost him nine Rings. _'What the hell?'_ he thought, _'That actually hurt?'_The fact that Amy actually got a decent shot in was enough for Shadow to confirm that Amy was indeed benefiting from the training. Regaining his composure, Shadow said to her, "Well done, Amy. You've certainly gotten stronger."

Amy heard him, but at the same time, she didn't. Her mind was focused on one thing: She hadn't peaked. Her limit was not yet reached. She was not...yet...**satisfied**. "More, Shadow."

"Huh?"

"I...I want to fight more. You're stronger than this. Fight me..."

Shadow looked at her with a confused expression. "Amy?" The girl looked back with a glazed look in her eyes, determined to be satisfied. "Fight me, Shadow!" She then rushed him, attacking fiercely while somehow retaining the grace and skill she had learned thus far. Not knowing what to make of this turn of events, Shadow defended himself while watching her. "More...more...keep going!" she kept repeating. It then dawned on him that Amy was taking a great amount of pleasure from this fight! He didn't understand why, but his impatience would not allow him to figure it out, so he decided to end this. He grabbed her by the shoulders and kneed her in the stomach. He then threw her into the air and nailed her in the back with a powerful Chaos Spear!

Amy screamed in pain - At least, Shadow **thought **that was pain - and her remaining Rings exploded from her as she fell to the ground, exhausted. Shadow tentatively walked up to her. He knelt down and saw that she had a blissful, content smile, despite her injuries. "Well?" she asked. "How did I do?" Shadow answered, "You...did very well, Amy. I haven't been pushed that far in a while." Miss Rose smiled wider and said, "Thank you. You've made me...so happy, Shadow..." She then wearily reached up and kissed him on his cheek.

Shadow quickly backed away at this staring at her with shock for what must have been the eighth time that day. Before he could demand an explanation, however, Amy fell asleep, smiling all the while. Shadow was truly confused. No one had ever dared to do something like that to him. Ever. So many emotions tumbled inside him.

He eventually chose the one he was most familiar with: anger. "Damn it, Rose," he muttered with a glare. "What the hell has gotten into you?"

* * *

_Yes, it's exactly what you're thinking. And trust me...I could have gone **much** farther._

_Thank you all.  
_


	9. Starting to Blossom

**Greetings.**

**For those of you who didn't understand Amy's...eagerness in the last chapter...you'll just have to either use your imagination or mature a little. No offense.  
**

**Shadow the Hedgehog and Amy Rose are owned by Service Games (SEGA).  
**

* * *

"I can't believe it's been more than a year already," Shadow said as he walked through the forest with Amy alongside him. "I still remember you crying pitifully." Amy replied, "Hey! I was a weak little girl back then. Now, I'm different." Shadow shrugged and kept walking. She did have a point, though. Amy had indeed changed since her training began. She was well on her way to becoming a strong, capable young woman.

They soon came to a clearing. As they got closer, Amy recognized it as the very spot where her training began. "Huh?" As she voiced her confusion, Shadow walked ahead to a nearby rock. Her Piko Piko Hammer was still there, waiting. "What's going on, Shadow?" He began tapping the hammer handle rhythmically and said, "It's time to see how ready you are." While Amy didn't understand at first, she quickly got the message. "So, if I'm able to get my hammer back, then my training is over?" Shadow nodded. That was the deal, Amy."

"Just like that?" Amy asked.

"Just like that," Shadow confirmed.

Amy looked disheartened. After all this time, all the months she's spent with Shadow, it would all be over. They would go their separate ways. She knew this day would come, and yet, the reality of it was almost...heartbreaking.

"Well?" Shadow said, "Get to it." Amy looked directly at him and said, "No." Shadow blinked and asked, "What do you mean, 'No'"? Amy sighed and answered, "I don't want this to end. These eighteen months have been the best months of my life. I don't want it to be over." Shadow understood where she was coming from. Still... "Every journey has an end, Amy, and yours has been fruitful. Now it's time to harvest that fruit." Amy was still hesitant. "Shadow, I don't understand. This is too sudden. Why now?" Shadow continued tapping the hammer. "I don't believe I need a reason to end your training if you've learned all you can." Amy started protest once more, but Shadow cut her off and shouted, "Enough! Stop whining and get your damn hammer back!"

Amy flinched at the sudden outburst. Then she sighed and walked over to where he stood, trying her best not to cry. Shadow continued to tap the hammer handle as he watched her get closer. When she stood before the handle, he tapped it one last time and moved to the side.

Amy slowly reached for the hilt...and as she was about to grab it, an unknown force hit her and she was flung across the clearing. Amy instinctively got up and asked "What the heck was... What did you...?" Shadow smirked and brought out his gray Chaos Emerald. "I charged the hammer with Chaos Energy at the last moment." Amy blinked at that. "I don't get it. How am I supposed to get it out if I don't know how to...use..."

Shadow remained silent as the realization slowly dawned on her.

Amy gasped. "You're serious?" Shadow nodded. "I can learn how-"

"-to use Chaos Energy, yes," Shadow answered.

"But I thought..."

"I know. You've made more progress than I anticipated, however, so I've decided to extend your training," Shadow explained. "If it's really been that enjoyable, I suppose you should get all you can out of it." Amy remained still for a few moments, and Shadow wondered if she was in shock. His wonderings were eradicated when Amy let out a loud "SQUEE!" and glomped him. "Thank you, Shadow! Thankyouthankyouthankyou!" Shadow growled from the close contact, irritably wondering if there were some things abut this girl that would never change. After a moment, however, he awkwardly returned the hug and said, "You are very welcome, Amy. You've earned this chance, I feel." Amy hugged him a little tighter when she heard that. "Now please let go of me or else."

Amy quickly released him and stood back, grinning in anticipation. "Now then, to begin. Do you know how Chaos Energy works, by any chance, Amy?" he asked. Amy closed her eyes in thought. "Let's see...it transforms one's thoughts, if strong enough, into power." Shadow nodded in confirmation. "Any thought, positive or negative, can be used and channeled through the energy. It's relatively easy, but not everyone can do it. First, you will need to find a Chaos Emerald to use."

"Can't I use yours?" she asked. "Yes and no. Part of your training is getting used to sensing its energy. Once you've learned that, you can find your own to use for practice in using its energy. I'm very skilled at this. So are Knuckles and Rouge, mainly because they're both treasure hunters, but Knuckles has an edge, most likely thanks to his status as Guardian of the Master Emerald." "That's right!" Amy exclaimed, "He did mention having to find the Master Emerald shards once!" Shadow asked, "Why's that?" Amy answered, "Long story." She then added with an irritated huff, "Ask Rouge."

"...Okay. Anyway, you need to be able to do this yourself. If you can sense an Emerald's power, using it won't be as difficult. Now, try to focus on my Chaos Emerald." Shadow held out the Emerald for her. Amy closed her eyes and focused, stretching out toward it. Shadow waited patiently for a few minutes. After a while, the Emerald began to flash for a split second. Amy's expression hardened further the more she concentrated. In turn, the Emerald flashed a second and third time, each flash slightly less subtle. Eventually, Amy collapsed from the strain.

"Hmm. As I thought; you have the potential, but it's weak." Amy tried to catch her breath and asked, "How am I *pant* supposed to get better *pant* at this?" Shadow answered, "The same way you got stronger physically; Practice. Your focus needs to be sharper and you're too tense. We'll have to work on that, all right?" Amy nodded with a smile.

Mentioning Amy's physical training reminded Shadow... "By the way, what was with you yesterday?" Amy blinked in confusion. "Huh? What do you mean?" Shadow continued, "You know what I mean. You got carried away during our training the other day. The yelling, the erratic attacks, the heavy breathing, the *ahem* kiss..."

"Wait...I k-kissed you?" Amy asked. "Yes. You did," Shadow confirmed. Amy blushed at this. She couldn't possibly tell him how **good** their sparring sessions made her feel. For all she knew, he might get disgusted and leave. "Um, well, I guess...I got overexcited?" Shadow glared suspiciously and said, "Clearly. Take it easy from now on, ok?"

"All right, Shadow," Amy relented. At the same time, she thought to herself. _'I can't help it...when I'm around you...'_ As Shadow began explaining more about Chaos Energy and its potential, she found herself half listening and more watching him as he spoke, and her heart, for whatever reason, skipped a beat.

* * *

_Didn't expect that, huh? Thank you for your support and please keep me posted on how I'm doing. I'll try to update, but my life is taking a few rough turns, so don't be surprised if I go dark for a while._

_Later.  
_


	10. Break Time

**Shadow and Amy are owned by Service Games (SEGA).**

* * *

Time has passed since Amy started practicing with Chaos Energy. While she was not even close to utilizing it, she was learning. As the days went by, Amy managed to get in tune with the Chaos Emerald's energy. In time, she was able to make the Emerald hover slightly, but not without completely exhausting herself afterwards.

* * *

One day, Shadow decided that it was time for Amy to find a Chaos Emerald of her own to practice with. They looked all around the forest for a one with no luck. after 5 hours of searching, Shadow led them to the outskirts of Soleanna Castle Town. "What's up, Shadow?" Amy asked. "Why are we heading into town?" Shadow, "There doesn't seem to be another Chaos Emerald around here. We're going to catch a ride to Central City and take a break from training. Besides, your attire is...no longer suitable, so you should stop by your place for some fresh clothes."

Amy blinked at that last statement, and for the first time in a long while, Amy took a really good look at herself. Having been so busy and so used to the routine, she failed to _really _notice just how much physical growth she had undertaken. Not only did she look stronger, but she was starting to fill out rather well, something her outfit did well to display. Then it hit her. The main reason she could see her new figure through her outfit is because she had outgrown it...and that it was rather torn up. When she realized this, Amy gasped and blushed. "Eep! Why didn't you say anything, Shadow?" she shouted as she tried to cover herself. "I just did," Shadow stated curtly. Amy just glared. "You pervert."

Shadow looked genuinely insulted. "I am no pervert. I just didn't want to bother you with something as minor as that until absolutely necessary." When she rolled her eyes, Shadow said, "Believe what you will. Now let's go."

"Are you crazy?" Amy exclaimed, "I can't go back into public like this!" Shadow retorted, "I don't recall you whining this much during training." Amy stammered, "T-That's because it was just the two of us!"

Shadow began to berate her for her childishness, but she interrupted, "No! Forget it! I'm not going anywhere looking like this!" She then sat on a rock with her arms folded and her legs crossed, refusing to move. Shadow glared at her and growled, "We're moving on, Amy, one way or another." Amy glared back and replied, with a low, almost womanly tone, "I'd like to see you try and make me."

Shadow promptly walked towards her and picked her up bridal style. Despite her protests, he zoomed off with her at top speed, racing through the town with enough speed so they would be seen as naught but a black and pink blur. During the trip, Amy had a better look at Shadow. As her green eyes scanned his dark features, she thought back to the first time she met him, and how she mistook him for Sonic. In hindsight, she realized the two share more in common than just physical appearance. They both have a strong heart and an even stronger will. However, they were equally different, as well. Sonic was more playful, while Shadow has an intimidating edge. Once more, her heart skipped a beat.

"Mind if I ask what the hell you're staring at, Ms. Rose?" Shadow asked rudely. Amy smiled and answered, "Oh, not much; just you." Shadow glanced back at her and, puzzled at her smile, looked back to the road ahead. "...Whatever."

* * *

_Back to civilization they go! Keep watching, peeps._

_Thank you.  
_


	11. Civilization

**Shadow and Amy are owned by Service Games (SEGA).**

* * *

"Finally here..." Shadow stated as they arrived at Amy's apartment in Central City. It had been a 5 hour long trip, but they made it, with little attention drawn to Amy's unwittingly revealing attire. "Yeah, but it took a while to get here," Amy said. "We'd have gotten here sooner if you'd used Chaos Control the entire time, though." Shadow shrugged and replied, "Yes, but I'm trying conserve my energy these days. I need to be ready for anything, especially at night. The last thing I need to happen is to be ambushed by random monsters."

Amy unlocked her door and asked, "What do you mean? Are you talking about the Dark Gaia incident?" Shadow nodded as she opened the door. "I don't know much about it, but if the Doctor was foolish enough to resort to splitting the whole damn planet apart to feed his ambitions, who know what other cans of evil he's willing to unseal." Amy flipped a light switch. "Yeah, he's a stubborn old man, huh?" She looked around and, satisfied that everything was as she'd left it, headed for her bedroom. "Make yourself at home, Shadow."

Shadow nodded in thanks and looked around her apartment. It was clean and well kept, as to be expected of its owner. There were frilly decorations about and an overall cozy feeling. One thing Shadow could not help but notice was a wall with numerous pictures, most of which were, predictably, of Sonic. Shadow sighed and shook his head _'It hasn't been long, but as long as I have known her, she's always been obsessed with him. Regardless of how many times he's childishly ditched and rebuffed her advances half-heartedly, she always came back or more. I can't even begin to assume how heart-breaking each instance must have been for her.'_ Shadow glared at one picture in particular, which was of Sonic and Amy at Twinkle Park. Amy was blissfully ignorant of how uncomfortable Sonic was. _'Why couldn't you just man up and be straight with her then, Sonic?'_

Meanwhile, Amy was in her room, looking at herself in her mirror and noticing her new figure for the first time. She looked at her longer spines, making a note to make them look less messy. She also got a better look at her body, running her hands over the areas she never thought she'd grow in (she lingered in a few spots a bit longer than she meant to, as well). Amy could not help but feel her confidence soar the more she gazed upon her new figure. However, there was an issue that came to her mind. If her Extreme Gear outfit is too small for her now, wouldn't that mean her other clothes would not fit anymore?

* * *

An hour passed and Shadow began to get bored. At that moment, he was cleaning his favorite pistol (the Commander tended to be a stickler about weapons upkeep). It was then that Amy emerged from her bedroom, wearing nothing but a bathrobe. As Shadow glanced at her, he found his jaw dropping in spite of himself. "W-What?" Amy asked shyly. "N-None of my clothes fit anymore." Shadow fought down his growing blush as best he could and said, "...I see. You'll have to get some new ones."

"Obviously," she said, "But I'm not going alone." Shadow knew immediately what she was getting at. "I am most certainly not accompanying you to shop for clothes. I have far more important things to be doing with my time." Amy started to fuss at him for his callousness, but then calmed down "...Ok, if that's what you want." Shadow looked at her tentatively. "It is."

Amy continued, "I mean, it's not as though you have to help me out or anything, even though **you're** responsible for my current condition. I mean, I did ask you to train me and all, but **you** were the one to agree to it. Now, with my current amazing figure – which I have **you** to thank for, by the way - I can't possibly wear my old clothes. I'd have to browse around for hours for just the right outfits, thereby taking up so much time which could be better spent looking for that Chaos Emerald I need to continue my training. And who knows? *gasp* Dr. Eggman may show up out of nowhere to kidnap me again! Without my Piko Piko Hammer - which is still lodged in a boulder, thanks to **you** - and with only 18 measly months of combat training to fall back on, I'd be hard pressed to stop him from doing whatever he wished with me. Then, of course, **you** would have to search high and low to get me back, wouldn't you? On the other hand, if you were with me, we'd finish up so much quicker, avoiding all that potential danger as a result. But, if you really have more important things to do than remedy what **you've **began-"

"**ALL RIGHT, ALREADY!**" Shadow shouted, "**WE'LL GO SHOPPING IN THE MORNING!**"

"Really? Goody! Thank you, Shadow!" Amy said with a coy wink. "You're welcome..." Shadow growled, trying not to unload his pistol. "Ok, then! Guess we need some dinner, then," Amy stated. "How much money do you have on you, Shadow?" He kept glaring as he answered, "Enough. Why?" Amy looked at him incredulously "Duh! I haven't been home in months! The food I have has probably gone bad by now." Shadow found it hard to argue against that point. "And I can't go out like this," she continued, "So you'll have to do the shopping."

Shadow seethed, "Why am I being subjected to this nonsense?" Amy smirked and replied, "Think of it as retribution for the hellish training you've put me through." Shadow just rolled his eyes. "Whatever." Amy walked to the kitchen and yanked a note from her bulletin board, giving it to Shadow. "Here's a shopping list I made before I left." Shadow raised his eyebrows, mildly impressed. "Hm. You're more prepared than I expected." Amy smiled shyly, always enjoying Shadow's praise, mainly because it was so rare when it didn't involve training.

Shadow put the list and his pistol away and said, "All right. I'll be back soon." Amy cheekily said, "Hurry back, now. I'm getting hungry." Shadow just growled and left via Chaos Control.

Amy giggled triumphantly. "It's about time I got him for something. He's been teasing me all this time while I've been at his mercy!" She hopped up and down giddily. "It feels great to have the upper hand against a guy, especially without needing my hammer!"

* * *

_Thank you all for enjoying my work._


	12. Shut Up, Faker!

**Things are about to get interesting...**

**Shadow and other characters and settings are owned by Service Games (SEGA).  
**

* * *

The sun had just begun to set in Central City. The city was thriving, which was a pleasant sight to behold since it had finally removed the last bit of evidence of the Black Arms invasion. Just thinking about it made Shadow uneasy. He couldn't believe he was manipulated by those scum. He tried not to think about it and exited the YU-2 Mart. During his errand, he bought food, as well as a suitable dress for Amy's shopping trip the next day. His errand complete, he started back to the apartment, but when he was halfway there, he ran into the last person he wanted to see...

"Hey, Shadow!" said Sonic as he zoomed up to him. "What's up?" Shadow groaned in disdain and replied, "Leave me be, Sonic. I don't have time to chat." Sonic snickered and said, "Yeah, I can tell, since you're shopping for your girlfriend." Shadow immediately exclaimed," She is NOT my girlfriend!"

"So it IS for a girl!" Sonic said with a smirk. Shadow just growled. _'He must enjoy pissing me off...' _Sonic kept smirking and asked, "So, who's the lucky lady?" Shadow repeated, "I told you, she's not my girlfriend."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," Sonic pressed. "Who is she?"

Shadow sighed and said, "If you must know, I'm running an errand for Amy. We've been training together for a while, so it's the least I can do." Sonic nodded in understanding. "Oh, ok. Cool. How's, uh, how's she doing?" Shadow looked at him almost in mock bewilderment. "You're actually concerned?" Sonic rolled his eyes and shot back, "Well, duh. She is my friend, you know."

"Perhaps," Shadow countered, "But I recall the two of you parting on bad terms last year." Sonic's cool demeanor wilted a bit. "She told you, huh?" he asked. Shadow nodded. "Yes, and frankly, it could have been handled better." Sonic shrugged and said, "Yeah, I know. Anyway, is she ok? I've been a tad worried." Shadow answered, "She's doing...better. My training has made her stronger and more confident in herself." Sonic exhaled and said with a smile, "That's good." His smile faded as he asked, "Is she still mad at me, though?" Shadow answered, with little sympathy, "Very, but she hides it as best she can."

"Drat," Sonic said. "I should probably leave her alone, then." Shadow frowned (harder). "Like you always do?" Sonic glared a little at that remark. "Hey now, I don't always ditch her! She's a great friend when she's not all over me!" Shadow merely rolled his eyes at what he perceived as childishness emanating from his rival. "That may be, but would it have killed you to be honest with her from the beginning instead of running away?" Sonic sighed, as he hated arguments like this. "Dude, I'm not like you. I actually have a problem with hurting people's feelings." Shadow gave him a dirty look for that statement as Sonic continued, "Besides, no guy wants a love-crazy chick with a big fat hammer chasing them around." Shadow shot back, with anger, "Which is why you need to handle the problem head on before it gets out of hand, instead of running like a coward!" Sonic shouted, "HEY! I'm no coward! You take that back!"

Shadow sneered and said, "I will do no such thing, faker. Just keep away from her for now. It's what you're good at." Sonic got really pissy at that. He was a lot of things, but heartless was not one of them. "Tch, why are so defensive of her, anyway?" Shadow asked, "What are you talking about?"

"I mean, why are you defending Amy so strongly?" Sonic elaborated. "Last I checked, you hardly bother yourself with anyone's business. How come you're starting now?" This question flustered Shadow for a split second, as he answered, "I don't want her personal issues to interfere with her training." Sonic was unconvinced. "Sure, sure, you're taking it rather personally, yourself. If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were defending her honor."

"And what if I am?" Shadow asked. Sonic gave him a hard look. Then, he thought of something he hadn't considered. "Shadow...don't tell me you've fallen for her?" The black hedgehog scoffed at the accusation and replied, "Don't be ridiculous!" Said reply was just a little too sudden, though, which presented the blue hedgehog with a much too tempting opening. "Oh really? They why are you doing her shopping?"

Shadow answered, with growing annoyance, "Because she doesn't have anything to wear, you idiot!" Sonic just grinned. "I guess that's a good reason, loverboy." Shadow growled, "You take that back." Sonic's cocky grin widened as he said, "I will do no such thing, faker." Shadow's icy glare hardened as he found himself blushing in embarrassment. If there was one thing (out of many) that he hated, it was being caught at the losing end of a debate with Sonic. "If you value your life, Sonic the Hedgehog, this conversation never happened. Understand?"

Sonic laughed and said, "Yeah, yeah. Just take care of her, loverboy. She deserves it. If you don't, I'll kick your ass at light speed. Later!" He then zoomed off, leaving Shadow to glare at his fading blur. "Me, the Ultimate Lifeform, dating someone like her..." he seethed to himself. "The very idea! That smug little prick has no idea what he's talking about." He then shook his head indignantly. "Whatever, I've got to get this food home before it spoils. The last thing I want is to get fussed at the moment I walk in the door. She can get rather testy when kept waiting."

After exactly 14 steps, Shadow realized what he just said. "Grrr...! **DAMN YOU, SONIC!**"

* * *

_One thing that bugs me about stories involving Sonic, Shadow and Amy is that Sonic is portrayed as an ass just to give Amy an excuse to hook up with Shadow. I just don't agree with that. I prefer the cast to stay within character whilst having said character developed._

Fanfiction as we know it has a LONG way to go before earning respect as an art form.

_Thank you for reading.  
_


	13. She's Grown

**Amy and Shadow are owned by Service Games (SEGA).**

* * *

Amy looked around her apartment, which was clean once more. The furniture had been dusted, the kitchen shined and the old food had been disposed of. She sat upon her dining room table, legs crossed and still within her robe. "It really has been a while since I've been home," she thought aloud. "I wonder how everyone's doing. I bet Cream will be surprised at how much I've grown! Oh, and Rouge. I bet I'd give her a run for her money." Thinking of the chance to put her rivalry with the bat to rest filled her with excitement. "I can't wait until my training is done so I can show everyone how far I've come!"

Her vigor slowly cooled when a realization dawned upon her. "When my training is done. Then, Shadow will..." Amy anxiously hugged herself as she struggled to finish the thought. "He'll leave me. I know he has no obligation to stay, but for some reason...I don't want him to leave. We've been alongside each other for so long...I don't know what I'd have done without him. What would I do?"

A knock on the door brought Amy out of her worry-ridden thoughts and she composed herself as best she could. "Come in, Shadow!" Amy called out. The knob turned, and in came Shadow, in a worse mood than when he left. "All right, I got the-"

His grumpy statement was halted in his throat by the scene that was before him. There was Amy, sitting elegantly on her table, glancing towards him with a forlorn, yet endearing expression. To him, she looked much older than she actually was. As Sonic's teasing words tang through his head, Shadow found himself speechless...

...And then he dropped the groceries.

"Hey!" Falling back on her training, Amy leapt off the table and dashed to Shadow, catching the groceries before they hit the ground. "Shadow, what's with you?" she asked as she looked up at him. The question snapped him out of his trance and he looked down to answer her, getting a view that reddened his tanned cheeks. "N-Nothing at all," he said nonchalantly, trying his best to recollect himself as she walked to the kitchen counter. "I was merely lost in thought." Amy looked at him in a confused manner after she placed the grocery bags on the counter. She then looked down at herself, and closed her robe, giving Shadow a skeptical look. "'Lost in thought', huh?" she replied dryly. "Looks to me like I'm too much for you to handle." Shadow rolled his eyes and said, "Don't be ridiculous, Amy." Before she could retort, Amy noticed the dress he still had on the crook of his right arm. "Hm? Is that a new dress?"

Shadow nodded, internally thankful for the change in subject. "Yeah. It's for you to wear tomorrow." Taking the dress from him, Amy noticed that it was nearly identical to her old dress, except it seemed that it would accentuate her new physique. "Oh, it's beautiful! Thank you so much!" Feeling caught up in the moment, Amy leaned in close and kissed his cheek.

The blush Shadow tried to fight off was back in full force. Amy realized what she did and her cheeks reddened as well. The two glanced around the room, trying their hardest not to make eye contact for the moment.

"...You're aware of what you've done this time?" Shadow bluntly asked.

"Yes," Amy answered. "Sorry."

Shadow sighed and said, "I'll allow it this time. You'd better give me fair warning from now on, and think before you act." Amy nodded happy that a tounge-lashing was avoided. "Fair enough. I'll get the food started. Care to give me a hand?"

Shadow nodded. "Very well."

* * *

_I have a request to make of all the artists that have enjoyed my story thus far. I would be very interested to see your interpretations of the chapters. If you feel so inclined, please show me what you come up with._

_Thank you for your support.  
_


	14. Healing

**This chapter wasn't simple for me to write. I came close to crying twice before I was done. You'll see what I mean in a moment.**

**And Twilight the Wolf: While I appreciate your input, I already have the next 10 chapters or so planned out. As for your character, brace yourself, because I'm going to use the same guidelines that I use on my site, Concept: "Mobius".**

**...She's borderline _terrible_.  
**

**First of all, having your character related to official characters is always a bad idea. Whether it be by family or dating, it's just ridiculous and, to be frank, childish. So, do not do that. Secondly, don't make her too powerful to the point that no one can win against her. That's an amateurish method that speaks more of the creator's ego than the character's strengths.**

**Thankfully, her species is cool and not overused and her appearance seems interesting, if a bit cliched (I'd lessen the streaks), so you've got that going for you.  
**

**You want to be as original as possible with your character while not disrupting canon too much. I hope that helps. ****^_^;**

**Shadow and Amy are owned by Service Games (SEGA).  
**

* * *

Shadow and Amy sat at her dining room table. Amy picked lasagna for them and, with the two of them, preparing the dinner took no time at all. As they ate their meal, Amy told Shadow about the incident with Chaos. The black hedgehog listened closely to every detail, since he wasn't around when it happened.

Shadow was about to get up for seconds when Amy decided to ask him something. "Yes, Amy?" he responded. The girl looked a bit uneasy as she chose her words as carefully as possible. "Shadow, I know you don't like to talk about your past, especially nowadays, but..." He saw her unease and said, "It's all right, Amy. I believe you've earned at least one question. Go ahead."

"Well," Amy began hesitantly, "It's about Maria." Shadow tensed up upon hearing that name. Amy noticed this and immediately backpedaled. "Um, never mind. It's none of my business!" After a moment, Shadow sighed and said, "No, Amy, it's fine. I...I made a promise that I wouldn't let my past rule me. I may relapse every now and then, but I assure you, I will not break my word. Go on."

Amy exhaled, thankful that his response wasn't volatile. "Ok, then. Well, I know she meant a lot to you. Was she...a special lover of yours?"

Strangely enough, Shadow softly chuckled to himself when he heard this. "No, no, nothing like that. Maria was like an older sister to me. I looked up to her and how strong she seemed." Amy blinked and he continued, "Yes, 'seemed'. You see, she was suffering from a fatal illness..."

Shadow went on to explain Maria's battle with NIDS, and the events regarding Professor Gerald's search for a cure that lead to the Ultimate Lifeform's creation. He described his experiences on the ARK, how he was born, the creation of the Biolizard...everything. He even shared some of the more humorous memories he had managed to get back. Amy was surprised, shocked, amused and saddened at the appropriate moments.

Then, Shadow began to tell of Maria's death. It was here that, little by little, he began to lose his composure. He did his best to stay calm, and he kept talking, allowing his words to stream from his mouth. He wasn't thinking anymore. It was as if a dam had burst and his memories, and the painful emotions they brought, that had been locked up were now raging through him. He kept going and going, and as he did, Amy remained silent and listened, captivated by the hedgehog in front of her and the traumatic event he was forced to endure. Soon, however, Shadow found himself doing something he never thought he would again...he started to cry.

He tried to ignore the tears, of course, but they would not stop. At that moment, Amy quickly got up, walked around the table and embraced Shadow. He did not return the gesture, as he was too stunned to react. As he tried to comprehend what was happening, he heard something in his ear. It was Amy, sobbing quietly. "I'm sorry, Shadow...I'm so sorry..."

Upon hearing those words, those simple, honest words, Shadow the Hedgehog's emotional stability was broken. He slowly, but fiercely returned Amy's embrace and allowed himself to cry, as if he'd been holding it in for a long, long time.

* * *

The meal was over, and so was Shadow's painful story. He and Amy cleaned up after themselves and decided to hand wash the dishes. Their chore was done silently, as the two were still a bit somber from a moment ago. After a while, Shadow spoke.

"Thank you." Amy turned to him. "Hm? For what?" Shadow said, "For...earlier." Derisively, he added, "I must've seemed rather pitiful to you." Amy smiled as she washed a plate and said, "No, not at all! I mean, it was surprising to have the big bad Ultimate Lifeform crying in front of me and all, but I think you needed it. I haven't seen you cry since the second time we met." Shadow remained silent as the memory flashed in his mind. Amy took that as a sign to continue. "You know, we never did get a chance to talk about that moment. I myself must have seemed pretty silly myself, saying all those things to you."

"You seemed freakin' stupid, actually," Shadow bluntly stated.

"Hey!"

"At first," he continued. "What you said, though...Maria felt the same way about the people on this planet. Well, it's how I was able to remember what Maria really wanted of me, and what I truly promised her." Amy was taken aback by this information. She had no idea her words held that weight back then.

"So," he finished as he dried the last piece of silverware, "I owe you quite a bit, Amy." He then reached forward, dried her ungloved, dishpan hand, and kissed it. Amy's face reddened and her heart started pounding. No guy had ever done something so forward to her! "Um, y-you're welcome, Shadow. I-I'm the one who should be thanking you, though."

"For what?" he asked.

"For not shoving me off and treating me like a nuisance, for being patient with me, for training me and making me stronger...for being there for me." Shadow nodded and said, "It's no trouble. Once you're finished, you'll be more than capable of handling yourself."

His statement only served to dampen Amy's mood somewhat, as she remembered what the end of her training meant for her...and for them.

Shadow noticed her change in mood and said, "Hm? What's wrong now?"

Amy shook it off and said, "It's nothing." She then glanced at the clock and said, "Looks like it's gotten late. We've got quite a day ahead of us tomorrow! I can't wait to shop 'til I drop once more!" She pumped her fist in excitement.

Shadow just grumbled. _'Damn it all. I forgot about that...'_

Well, I'm taking a shower and heading to bed," Amy said with a stretch. "You're free to find a place in the living room to crash in." She walked to the bathroom, unconsciously swaying her hips. For some reason, Shadow found himself struggling not to look at her. When she disappeared down the hall, Shadow was alone with his thoughts. He wondered, _'Why did I say all that to her? More importantly, why was I so damn open during dinner? I've never shared that much with __**anyone**__, least of all her. It's like she has this empathetic ability to allow people to be more honest with themselves...'_

As he contemplated this, Amy poked her head from the hallway and said, "For the record, I have no problem washing those knives again, so you'd better not peek!" Shadow glared and replied, "Give me a break, Rose. Why would I possibly want to watch you bathe?"

Amy glared back as she shot back, "You certainly had no problem peeking the first time, you little perv." Shadow threw his hands up in irritation and exclaimed, "For the hundredth time, I was **not **trying to peek!"

"Just wait your turn for the shower, mister!" With that, she was gone again.

"I see that opinionated streak still needs to be beaten out of her..." Shadow growled.

"What was that?"

Shadow sighed. "Nothing!"

* * *

_It's not healthy to keep things inside, no matter how painful. Trust me, I know. If you don't talk about things, you're just letting them fester and control you._

_Thank you for reading.  
_


	15. Punk

**For this chapter, listen to some rock or heavy metal to set the mood. You'll recognize the cue.**

**Shadow and Amy are owned by Service Games (SEGA).  
**

* * *

This day was quite the agitating one for Shadow the Hedgehog. For hours, Amy had dragged him to store after store in the Central City Mall in order for her to find a wardrobe befitting her new physique. Out of the hundreds of clothes she'd tried on, though, she had only bought six, and out of those six, only one could be used for training. Somehow, Shadow had managed to put up with it all, but when Amy picked out an ensemble consisting of a low cut, lime-green blouse with an orange skirt, the Black Blur's patience had run out. _'That tears it!'_

"Enough, Amy," Shadow exclaimed before she could try it on. "This time I'm picking the place to shop in. After that, we're leaving!" Amy looked at him with a defiant expression and asked, "Says who?"

"Says ME," Shadow replied with a glare, "Since it's MY money you're spending."

Amy just pouted playfully. "Fine. Sure."

Shadow scoped the immediate are looking for a nearby establishment. Spotting the fifth store that caught his eye, he headed for it. As Amy followed him, she noticed, to her initial disdain, that it was a punk store. Making absolutely no effort to mask her annoyance, she said to him, "Somehow, I'm not surprised that you picked this place."

She watched as Shadow looked back at her with a genuinely confused look on his face...as an array of goth, punk and metal merchandise, imagery and customers loomed behind him. "Huh? What do you mean?" Amy just sighed and said, "...Never mind. What exactly am I supposed to find here, Shadow?"

"Whatever will be suitable for your new look in battle," he answered. "Something tough."

"Ok."

Amy looked around and, as minutes of browsing passed, some of the styles struck a chord within her. Whether it was Shadow's dark influence or her own evolving sense of style, the girl slowly found herself liking what she saw. She soon chose 6 outfits (ignoring Shadow's insistence that she only choose 2):

- A Gothic Lolita dress,  
- A grungy T-shirt and jean combo (this is chosen for training),  
- A deliberately incomplete gown,  
- A simple shirt and sweatpants ensemble to replace her torn-up Extreme Gear attire (this is for training as well),  
- A set of leather clothing (Shadow blushed at the implicated assumptions that number would give),  
- A strapless white tanktop, a purple vest, and matching skirt, with blue sandals.

She also got a number of bras and panties. Her last purchase was a red sleeveless vest and black pants for Shadow, as a gift for his worn through patience.

Shadow thanked her for the gift and said, "Can we go now? Even I'm getting tired from carrying all this crap." Amy replied, with a coy look, "Keep up the attitude, dear, and you're buying lunch." Shadow just growled. _'When your training resumes, you are SO going to get it...'_

"All right, all right," Amy giggled, "I guess this is enough. Thank you, Shadow. This really means a lot to me." Shadow nodded. "Hmph. You're welcome, Amy."

* * *

As the two finally made their way out the mall, random people started running away in terror. They looked to where they were running from and saw a small army of robots shooting at the townspeople and wrecking nearly everything in sight! Leading them, of course, was none other than the mad scientist, Dr. Ivo "Eggman" Robotnik, piloting his Egg Walker mk. 2. The would-be tyrant was flanked by his Egg Emperor and Egg Breaker robots.

Eggman stood up in his machine and cleared his throat. "People of Central City! I do hope you can forgive me for my rather abrupt entrance, but I'm in a bit of a hurry. I have matters of the utmost importance to discuss with the Mayor, you see, and, as you can tell by the entourage I've brought with me, I'm quite serious. So, if someone would kindly inform him I'm here, I would appreciate it." He added, with an evil grin, "I would hate to have to travel all the way to City Hall."

Amy gasped in shock. Shadow just sighed in disappointment. "What the hell is he up to now?"

"No idea," Amy said. She then smirked and set her bags down. "Whatever it is, it's not going to work!" Shadow quickly glanced at her. "Amy, don't even think-"

Amy cut him off, "Somebody has to! Besides, this is a great chance to put my training to the test!" She then raced off to the scene. Shadow threw his bags down and started to go after her, but soon stopped. _'One moment...this would be a good opportunity to see how far she's come. Let's hang back and see what happens.'_

He could only hope he didn't have to step in.

* * *

_If you're having trouble envisioning the store, think Hot Topic._

_Next time...Amy vs. Eggman!  
_


	16. Enter the Eggman

**Hi there. If you can spot an ability growing with Amy during this fight, kudos to you.**

**Amy, Dr. Robotnik, and Shadow are owned by Service Games (SEGA).  
**

* * *

Dr. Robotnik yawned as he waited for his demands to be met. "Well? You don't have much time." Before he could continue to taunt the townspeople, a pink blur suddenly appeared, taking out 5 Egg Pawns before landing on a sixth. The blur appeared to be a young hedgehog girl with pink fur, long spines as stylish as they were sharp and a red dress that emphasized her striking figure with class.

"What the-!" Eggman exclaimed in outrage. "Who do you think you are, girl?" The girl chuckled with pride. "What's the matter, Eggman? Don't recognize me without my hammer?"

Eggman blinked in confusion. "Hammer? What are you talking abo...?" It then hit him. The doctor knew of only one hedgehog girl with a weapon like that. "**A-A-A-Amy Rose?**" The Eggman's shock was matched by the crowd of bystanders. Naturally, a few whistles and catcalls were heard, though Amy ignored them. She wasn't about to be anyone's jailbait target, after all.

"Took you long enough," Amy said to the doctor. "Though, I don't blame you for not recognizing me. I have...grown up, haven't I?" She crossed her legs and winked, which got her a round of applause whom those who knew her well. Eggman simply scoffed at her. "It will take more than a growth spurt and a mere makeover to impress me, Amy. That much I assure you! Egg Emperor! Put this brat back in her place!"

The Egg Emperor and twelve Egg Pawns then charged at her. Amy grinned, leapt off the Egg Pawn she was sitting on and ran forward. She then jumped and wasted seven Pawns with her Homing Attacks. Since she had grown in strength and her spines were sharper, this was rather easy. She careened towards the Egg Emperor with another Homing Attack, but she was blocked with its shield. Immediately going on the offensive, it swung its spear multiple times, along with firing a volley of rockets, but, thanks to her training, Amy anticipated this and gracefully twisted her body avoid the spear and rockets, and landed upon the spear's tip safely with a fancy pose only she could pull off.

"Is that all you got, old man?" Amy taunted Eggman, with a sultry, mocking tone. The mad scientist growled and said, "Cute. But lets see how you handle this!" The Egg Emperor shook Amy off its spear. As she landed, more Egg Pawns and bigger, tougher robots surround the girl in an attempt to overwhelm her. Amy was not deterred, though, and attacked each one that came her way, wrecking the Egg Pawns with a single blow. When the bigger bots moved in, she reacted instinctively to disable them, almost as if she could predict their attacks.

From within the cheering crowd, Shadow quietly watched, analyzing Amy's movements and attack patterns. _'Hmm...I don't recall her fighting like that during training,'_ he thought. _'It's almost as if she knows what the robots will do before they do...'_

As Dr. Robotnik's forces continued to dwindle, he began to get pissy. It was time to end this. "Grrr! Don't just stand there, Egg Breaker! Get her!" On command, the Egg Breaker dashed forth, jumped up and brought its gigantic mace down hard, causing a shockwave that pushed Amy away. Seeing an opening, the Egg Emperor performed 14 rapid energy slashes with its spear, each making a direct hit. The Egg Emperor finished its barrage with an energy slash, knocking all of Amy's Rings out of her.

Amy got up, slowly. She was bleeding and her dress was ruined, but nothing was broken. _'Damn it! I forgot about that other one! How am I supposed to get rid of them both at once?' _The two titans loomed over Amy, as if daring her to make the first move. Amy glared and shouted aloud, "Well, I'm not about to give up now!"

Shadow gaped as she moved in to attack! _'Amy, are you insane? You haven't progressed THAT much! Damn it all, at this rate, I'll have to step in!'_

Amy jumped upon the Egg Emperor's shield and whistled at the Egg Breaker. "Come get some, big boy!" The Egg Breaker then slammed his mace. Amy bounded out of the way just in time for the Breaker's mace to smash the Egg Emperor's shield. The Emperor seemed to get upset and attacked the Breaker, who responded in kind. The two then went at it like bickering siblings, electing a great deal of laughter from the crowd.

"What are you two dumbots doing?" Eggman yelled, "Attack the hedgehog, not each other!"

Amy laughed and said, "Guess you were better off piloting them yourself, Eggman!"

The robots kept fighting each other until they collapsed. Then, each of their cores opened up. Both the Egg Emperor and Egg Breaker were powered...by Chaos Emeralds! Amy smiled at the discovery. "Well, well! I was looking for those!" As she ran to get them, Dr. Robotnik looked like he was about to explode, but was instantly calm the closer Amy got to the Egg Breaker. He smirked as he pressed a button, causing the robots start beeping in a low pitch.

Shadow glared at him suspiciously. "Why is the Doctor so calm...?" He then heard the beeping get louder and faster. "No, he couldn't possibly-!" The townspeople heard the beeping, too, and started fleeing. Shadow dashed forth, as Eggman brought his Eggpod to a safe elevation. The robots flashed the moment Amy reached for the Breaker's Chaos Emerald, eliciting a gasp from the girl.

"CHAOS...

"What!" Eggman exclaimed. "Shadow?"

"CONTROL!"

With those words, Chaos Control was invoked and the area froze in time. Shadow had to work fast. He moved the straggling townsfolk to a safe distance and then grabbed Amy, the Emeralds and their shopping bags before taking off. The moment they left, the effect was lifted. The following explosion decimated the entire block, and the remaining robots were reduced to scrap. Powerless, Dr. Robotnik quickly escaped before the authorities arrived.

"Curses," Eggman said bitterly to himself. "I wasn't expecting Shadow to show up, and I certainly wasn't expecting him to rescue the girl. This is an irritating turn of events. And yet...somehow promising." Then, he got an idea. An awful idea.

"All right, Miss Rose," he spoke with an evil grin. "We'll see just how far you've come. Heheheheheheh..."

* * *

_Personal Note: Crossing your legs is the absolute sexiest pose a woman can do. Seriously. That's the main thing you'd have to do to get **my** attention._

_*ahem* Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Keep on reading!  
_


	17. What Cost?

**Shadow and Amy are owned by Service Games (SEGA).**

* * *

Amy blinked. A moment ago, she was in front of a broken robot and now she was back in her apartment! Looking around, she saw Shadow kneeling. _'He must have used Chaos Control!' _As he stood up, she said, "That was close! Thanks, Shadow!"

Shadow, however, glared at her. "Take your thanks and shove it!" This cruel response outraged Amy. "What's your problem?"

"My problem," he shouted, "is that you almost got yourself killed!" Amy rolled her eyes at him. "What are you talking about? I took those robots down easily! And I stopped whatever it was Dr. Eggman was trying to do. Nothing bad happened, so what's the issue?"

Shadow growled. As someone more experienced with disaster, he knew better. Looking towards the remote control on the kitchen counter, he snapped his fingers. The flash of Chaos Magic knocked the remote into the air towards Shadow, who caught it effortlessly. He then promptly turned the television on, switching to the local news.

[This is Scarlet Garcia with a breaking news flash! A shopping district in Central City was ripped apart by an explosion moments ago. The cause of the devastation was none other than Doctor Eggman and his army of vicious robots. According to eyewitnesses who claimed to be at the scene, the notorious mad scientist had been demanding an audience with the mayor of Central City when he was intercepted by local resident, Amy Rose, who had reportedly been on a shopping spree with Shadow the Hedgehog, of all people.]

Said hedgehog resisted the urge to fill the TV with lead.

[Witnesses say that Amy, who, after not being seen for a year, was sporting a daring new appearance, challenged the would-be Eggman Emperor and swiftly took down his mechanical troops single-handed, though it wasn't easy. Just as victory was at hand, the two remaining robots suddenly detonated, causing a massive explosion that decimated the entire area. Thankfully, all citizens had fled before the explosion occurred, though it is not known if Amy herself survived the destruction...]

Shadow then muted the TV and glanced at Amy, who was looking at the decimated scene in shock. "I...I didn't know..."

"Of course you didn't," Shadow spat. "You were too busy showing off that you forgot a very important lesson I taught you. Can you attempt to remember what that is?" Amy thought carefully for a few moments. Then, she spoke. "To be mindful of my surroundings and to expect the unexpected."

Shadow nodded. "Precisely. Always be ready for an attack. But, you let your guard down in the face of victory. A win is never certain and the battle is never over until your opponent has nothing left to use against you. You should know this, Rose." Amy was silent as she took this in. "Not only that," Shadow continued, "But your carelessness put innocent lives in danger. Honestly, what were you-"

His tirade was halted by the small sound of whimpering emanating from the young woman before him. "I'm sorry, Shadow. I should have known..." Amy quietly sobbed in shame, and kept wincing from the pain of her wounds. Shadow sighed with exasperation and said nothing for 5 minutes. Eventually, he chose to comfort her. "I suppose it's not a total loss, though. After all, no one was hurt, and you did take down the Doctor's troops by yourself. If that wasn't enough, we got the Chaos Emeralds we came here for.

Amy looks at him in bewilderment. "We did?"

Shadow smirked half-heartedly and displayed the green and purple Emeralds. "And, I managed to save our new clothes."

Amy sniffled and said, "Thanks, Shadow. I owe you."

"Damn straight. You can begin your atonement by holding still. He warped out and returned within seconds with a first aid kit and begun wrapping her wounds, as well as sharing his Rings. "After your wounds are dressed, I'll start preparing dinner. We're heading back to Soleanna in the morning."

"What, so soon?" Amy stated whilst wincing from the stinging ointment. "I wanted to visit Cream and the others."

Shadow looked straight at her with a no-nonsense expression. "That might have been possible, but you and the Doctor quite literally blew those plans to hell."

Amy remained silent after that, except for hissing from the ointment again.

* * *

_Recklessness has a price. Bear that in mind.  
_

_Thank you for reading.  
_


	18. Bloody Relapse

**"We're all pretty bizarre. Some of us are just better at hiding it, that's all." - Andrew Clark (Emilio Estevez), _The Breakfast Club_**

**With that in mind, here's a look into how violently bizarre my mind can be.**

**Amy and all other characters are owned by Service Games (SEGA).  
**

* * *

It is a dark, ominous, and stormy night. The sky was furious and sounded off thunderclap after thunderclap, threatening rain that never came. Amidst this terrible evening, Amy found herself walking along the bow of the original Egg Carrier, still floating upon the sea. As she looks around, lost and confused, she cannot remember what she was doing previously or how she got there. She is also, for some unknown reason, terrified.

"What's going on?" she wondered aloud. "The last thing I remember was Shadow...but I can't...think." She tried to recall what she had been doing, but she couldn't, no matter how hard she tried. "What am I doing on the Egg Carrier?" She looked at her reflection in the green glass and was shocked. "And why have I shrunk back to my old self? Am I...dreaming?"

"Oh, I assure you, Miss Rose," spoke a robotic voice behind her, "This is quite real."

Amy spun around and came face to face with none other than the being that still terrified her in the darkest recesses of her mind: **Metal Sonic**. She immediately backed away in surprise. The evil machine of the Eggman's creation stood before her, inexplicably in his Neo form, glaring at her with his usual expression of hatred and apathy.

"What's the matter?" Metal said above the thunder. "You look like you've seen a ghost." Somehow, Amy found enough of her bearing to force herself to speak. "What the heck are you doing here? And what's with that form? I thought you lost it!" Metal Sonic mechanically scoffed. "To answer your last question first, that's none of your business. As for why I'm here..." He then dashed forward and struck Amy down with a slap to her face. "I'm here to finish what I started when we first met."

Amy rubbed her bruising cheek and stood. She was frightened, but she refused to back down to this abomination. She was not a child anymore. "You're still after Sonic, aren't you?" she spat defiantly. "You're wasting your time, you know. He's just gonna beat you again. Just like he always does."

"**SILENCE!**" Metal Sonic quickly launched himself with a Spin Dash, tearing into her and beating some Rings out of her. "It's not him I'm after right now!" He saw her checking her person for a weapon and dashed forth. Just as she found her Piko Piko Hammer, Metal punches her hard in the gut, costing her more Rings. As Metal caught the dropped hammer, Amy bounced along the floor until she landed in the cold, familiar hand of E-100 Alpha.

"W-What?" Amy exclaimed in shock. "You?" Metal Sonic could almost be heard chuckling. "Oh, so you remember your old friend, Zero. I hear you two shared some good times." Amy struggled to get free, but the Chase-master's grip was as tight as she remembered. "Let me go! I mean it!"

"What do you intend to do if he doesn't, hmm?" Metal Sonic taunted as he twirled Amy's hammer. "Smack him with this stupid toy?" When he saw her glare, he casually snapped the Piko Piko Hammer in half. "Whoops, how did that happen?" Amy immediately started shouting unladylike obscenities she didn't know she knew, but was silenced by Zero's sudden crushing. "Temper, temper, girl. Don't fuss at me just because you're too weak to defend yourself."

Amy shouted, "I'M NOT WEAK!" Metal Sonic replied, "Nonsense."

"Let me go and I'll prove it!" Metal's glare did not waver. Amy was convinced that if he had a mouth, it would be smirking. "...Very well."

Zero released Amy and she ran towards Metal Sonic. She punched and kicked at him, attacking fiercely, but she was denied with little effort. Still, she kept trying. An uppercut: dodged. A leg sweep: avoided. Jumping strikes, left hooks, right crosses...no matter what she threw at him, Metal dodged and countered them all. After a few more minutes of toying with her, he got bored. Parrying a punch, he grabbed her shoulders and struck her with three knee strikes to the stomach an elbow to the top of her head and a kick to the left side of her waist. This brutal combo was followed by a Homing Attack. As she sailed through the air, he zoomed behind her and activated gears within his head, which moved his metallic spines to a grouped position, which Amy then landed on, greatly wounding her and expending her remaining Rings.

Never before had Amy experienced such pain. The spines went right through her, jutting out of her arms, her sides, and her legs. She was fortunate her head was not impaled. Just when she thought it could not get any worse, Metal Sonic cruelly used his Electric Attack to shock the girl for a full minute. Amy screamed in agony as her pain was increased exponentially. He then shook her off.

Amy lay on the floor, bloody and electrocuted, with a spirit as broken as her body. She gave it her all, used all the strength she had...and it was all useless. She heard Metal Sonic's ridiculous looking feet clank towards her and she strained to look at the heartless robot. Metal looked down at the injured hedgehog with contempt. Or disgust. Such an emotionless face cannot be read easily. "Look at where your false bravado has gotten you, Amy. You're a fool to think you could ever be strong or protect anyone." He bent down and grabbed her by the throat, hauling her up like a piece of meat about to be slaughtered. "Your flukes in the past mean _**nothing**_".

"No..." Amy struggles to breathe as she tried to remain defiant, even in the face of her own defeat. "You're...wrong..."

Metal Sonic scoffed again. "Am I? See for yourself." He yanked her to the right towards Zero who now held two more hedgehogs in his hands: Shadow in his right and Sonic in his left. Unbelievably, both hedgehogs were in the same condition she was! "SONIC! SHADOW!"

"Yes, my two loathsome copies," Metal Sonic said in disgust. "While my personal vendetta is with Sonic, Shadow has been a source of irritation as well. I'd be much better off with killing them both, but since you're here, I'm in a playful mood." He looked straight at her, glaring deep within her eyes. "Which would you prefer to live?"

Without thinking, Amy strained to shout, "Sonic, of course!" She realized what she said a second too late, as Metal said, "As I suspected. You heard the lady, Zero. Crush the black one." Zero began to squeeze Shadow, who yelped in pain, in spite of himself. Tears began to form in Amy's eyes as she saw the agony Shadow was in. "NOOO! DON'T KILL SHADOW! I BEG YOU!"

Metal Sonic's cold tone turned almost pleased. "Oh, so you'd rather I have my revenge? How generous, milady. Zero?" The green robot's tightening froze to keep pressure on Shadow, while his grip on Sonic got harder. The boy yelled in response. "NO, PLEASE!" Amy shouted through her own pain. "YOU CAN'T!"

Wordlessly, Metal Sonic commanded Zero to stop. "You're working my nerves, Rose. I believe I made it clear that you can only allow one of them to live." Amy shot daggers at Metal. "How can you ask me to make a choice like that?" If Metal had the ability to roll his eyes, he would have done so. "Oh, come now. It's not that complicated. Which do you care about more? Sonic, right?"

Amy opened her mouth to answer, but the words do not come as easy as they once did, which confused her. "Isn't Sonic your idol?" Metal continued, his robotic voice seeming to drip with what his programming referred to as sarcasm. "The light of your world? Your 'future husband'? Surely his life is worth the sacrifice of another whom isn't as close to you, right?"

The girl looked toward Sonic tearfully. While she may have thought these things at one time, now such feelings for the Blue Blur seemed...childish. Amy wonders exactly why she felt so strongly for Sonic when he didn't even return those feelings.

"Or," Metal Sonic spoke, "Have those feelings transferred to his dark doppelganger?"

Amy's glance shifted towards Shadow. Said Ultimate Lifeform looked straight back at her. She pondered why she found herself glancing at the Black Blur longer than necessary, why she could not imagine herself without him at her side...why his company felt so natural.

Metal Sonic shook his head at her silence. "It would seem that, like any female, you can't make up your mind. If that's the case, I may as well get rid of them and save you the trouble."

Amy helplessly struggled to break free, despite the immense pain such movement wrought. "No! You can't do this!" In response, Metal Sonic tightened his grip on her throat. "QUIET! You're **FAR **too weak to tell me what I can or can't do! Zero, kill them BOTH!" On command, the Chase-master continued crushing Sonic and Shadow.

"AAAGH!" Sonic screamed, "Amy, get us out of here!" Shadow gasped, "Can't...break free... Can't...breathe..." As the two struggled, their bleeding got worse. Amy could not watch any more of this torture. "STOP IT! STOP IT!"

Metal Sonic glared at her. "Why don't you stop it, girl? Oh, that's right. YOU CAN'T!" He then shocked her again, shooting an unprecedented amount of volts of electricity through her body. "**HOW DARE YOU EVEN THINK YOU CAN MATCH THE MIGHT OF THE EGGMAN WHEN YOU CAN'T SAVE THE TWO CLOSEST TO YOU! YOU ARE ****WEAK****, AMY ROSE! YOU ****ALWAYS**** HAVE BEEN AND YOU ALWAYS ****WILL**** BE! NOW WATCH THEM **_**DIE**_**!**"

Metal Sonic forced Amy to look at Sonic and Shadow as her body was violently surged with electricity. Zero kept crushing and crushing, until they were about to burst open!

Sonic kept screaming...

Shadow kept screaming...

Metal Sonic kept laughing...

Zero started laughing...

Amy kept shrieking...

And shrieking...

And _shrieking_...

And _shrieking_...

And **_shrieking_**...

* * *

...Until she sat bolt upright in her bed. As Amy's screams died down, she looked around and saw that she was in her bedroom, far away from the Egg Carrier...she was in her new form...and she was in perfect health.

Suddenly, space-time warped on the right side of her bed and Shadow appeared. Amy screamed hoarsely in terror and punched at him. Shadow blocked it and said, "Amy, what's wrong?" She looked at him frantically and touched his face. There were no cuts or bruises. "S-Sh-Shadow, you're ok..." She looked to her left and right in fear. "M-Metal Sonic... Where is...?"

Shadow cupped her face in his hands. "You were having a nightmare, Amy. Metal Sonic isn't here." Amy still looked extremely frightened. "A...nightmare?" Shadow nodded. The relief from that did little to make her feel better. "He...He almost killed me and you and Sonic and...and I couldn't stop him...I couldn't save you..." She began sobbing. "I couldn't do anything..."

Shadow silently held her close to him, soothing her and letting her cry for as long as she needed to. While he was unfamiliar with giving such gestures, he was not so heartless as to abandon her in such a state. He, of all people, knew what it meant to be terrified and alone.

* * *

_If this chapter was unpleasant for you, I truly apologize. My psyche is rather fractured (to put it mildly), so I may have gone overboard. What's really disturbing is that I was ****__holding back_...

_I should get some help.  
_


	19. The Sunrise's Warmth

**To set the mood, I recommend listening to the track, "Before Dawn" from the soundtrack of The Big O anime (season II). Play it once Amy wakes up.**

**Amy and Shadow are owned by Service Games (SEGA).  
**

* * *

The sun began to rise over Central City. For many, a new day was beginning. For others, it was the end of a rough, but productive shift. Yes, the citizens were glad to be alive, and after the decimation of the city by Perfect Chaos and the invasion of the Black Arms, hardly anyone took their days for granted.

In her apartment, Amy Rose began to stir. As she yawned and began to move around in her bed, she was puzzled to find that she was rested against the fur of someone's fit chest. Amy's eyes shot open and she saw Shadow, resting calmly. As she nervously wondered why the Black Blur was in her bed, a memory of her nightmare flashed in her head. She had woken up screaming afterwards and Shadow had been there to comfort her. _'He must have stayed and let me cry myself to sleep,'_ she thought to herself. As the thought crossed her mind, the gravity of it hit her. _'He __**stayed**__?' _She looked confused for a moment. Shadow, of all people, actually remained to comfort her the entire night?

The more she thought about, the more puzzled she became, until her bewilderment faded. Her heart raced as her thoughts centered on the bottom line. _'He...he stayed...for me.'_

Amy stared at him, unmoving unwilling to do anything that would ruin the moment. She then thought back to her dream. To her discomfort, she was able to remember a good deal of it. _'That dream was terrible. I haven't had nightmares about Metal Sonic in years, so why now? And why did it have to be so vivid...and feel so real? It really felt like Metal was crushing me. I don't even want to think about what that monster Zero almost did to Sonic and Shadow.'_ She shuddered once more. _'He tried to make me choose...but I couldn't. I just couldn't let them die. I still care for Sonic, but Shadow...' _She let the thought trail off as she looked at him. Amy stroked his cheek softly, a blush growing on her cheeks.

_'You've done so much for me, Shadow. You offered me a chance to change, and you have been extremely patient with me, too. You have had so many chances to give up on me, and yet you never did. You stayed by my side and helped me every step of the way. You never abandoned me. You have no idea how much this means to me.'_ Amy began to shed tears of happiness as she admitted to herself something she would have never even considered to be possible a year ago. _'Shadow the Hedgehog...I think...I'm falling in love with you...'_

Accepting this new truth, Amy threw caution to the wind. She scooted closer to Shadow and kissed him on the lips for a full minute. It was gentle, but deep. When she pulled away, she was surprised to see Shadow form a great big smile. His entire expression at that moment was one of peace, his first, she assumed, in many, many years. Her heart filled with new affection for the hedgehog, Amy held him close to her, closed her eyes and soon fell back to sleep.

She did not know what to do about her new feelings, and she certainly did not want to drive Shadow away. But for now, she was going to enjoy this moment, as much as she possibly could.

* * *

_There you have it. Amy's finally fallen for Shadow. This may just change the dynamic between then, if just a tad._

_Thank you for reading.  
_


	20. Wound, Meet Salt

**I know this chapter will upset some people, but, whatever.**

**Shadow, Amy and all related characters are owned by Service Games (SEGA).  
**

* * *

Station Square, mid-afternoon. People were walking about and tourists were enjoying the sights. It was almost hard to believe that this place was decimated by the former God of Destruction a while ago.

These were the thoughts that ran through Sonic's mind as he walked into the train station, bored as hell. He was sporting a worn pair of blue jeans and an open red flight jacket, along with his ever-present Power Sneakers. _'Damn it,'_ he thought to himself impatiently, _'Tails sure is taking his sweet time getting here. The longer I have to wait, the more of a head start Eggman has.' _For a brief moment, he considered taking off without him, but even he wouldn't blow off his surrogate little brother like that.

Glancing towards the train entrances, Sonic spotted Shadow and Amy, presumably waiting for the next train. _'Hm. I know Shadow suggested that I back off for now...'_ He gave the matter some serious thought for about ten seconds before shrugging. _'Eh. Whatever, I'm heading up there. The sooner I make amends, the better.'_

* * *

While Sonic contemplated his move, Shadow and Amy sat side by side on one of the benches upstairs, waiting for transport to Soleanna in their new threads. Amy was wearing her "tomboy" training clothes while Shadow sported the outfit she got for him.

"Shadow, do we really have to go back now?" Amy asked. "I see no reason why not," Shadow replied. "We've had our rest and we got the clothes we came for, as well as two Chaos Emeralds. Why should we stay?"

"You have a point, but..." Amy was hesitant to leave so soon. At the rate she was going, she would master Chaos Energy manipulation in no time, putting an end to Shadow's services...and, possibly, his companionship.

Shadow rolled his eyes at her sudden melancholy silence. "Look, if you have a problem, out with it. I'm listening." Amy opened her mouth to speak, but soon closed it. There was no way she could tell him how she felt about him. It was too soon...

"Well, well! Don't you two make a cute couple?" The two hedgehogs flung their heads around to see Sonic zooming up the stairs, coming to a skidding stop before them. "You again..." Shadow muttered. Amy was silent. It was also too soon to speak to Sonic again. "Nice to see you, too, Shadow!" Sonic said with a friendly smile. "Waiting to head back to training or whatever?"

"Yes," Shadow replied, "And the wait was peaceful until you showed up." Sonic smirked, as he was used to his darker counterpart's attitude towards him. "Aw, you don't have to be like that. Judging from what I heard, you've trained Amy well." Shadow asked, "What do you mean?"

Sonic answered, "I heard about Eggman's little visit on the news. That stupid explosion wrecked my favorite chili dog stand, you know." Shadow's expression remained blank at that. "Anyway," Sonic continued, "The witnesses said you scrapped those bots in style, Amy. Nice work!" Throwing a thumbs up, he added, "You look great, too!"

"...Thank you," Amy said sincerely. "Now please leave."

"Huh?"

Amy repeated, "I'm asking you to leave, Sonic. Now." Sonic figured she would say that, but persisted, hoping to lighten the mood. "Wait, **you're** asking **me **to leave? That's a first, eh?" This only made Amy uncomfortable and very angry. "Sonic...you're upsetting me..." Sonic chuckled, ignoring her warning. "You've always been easy to upset, Amy. One bad comment and that freaky hammer is whipped out!"

Amy started glaring at him, shaking in quiet fury. Shadow noticed this and said, "Sonic, shut up. It's for your own good." Sonic just rolled eyes at him. "What are you, Shadow, my mother? I'm just trying to make conversation. Lighten up." That callous remark at her new crush extinguished Amy's patience. "Oh, so **now**you want to converse with me? Just because I'm not 'useless'?" Sonic blinked. "Wait, since when have I called you useless?"

"Since always," Amy spat as she stood up. "Never with words, perhaps, but always with actions. You've never acknowledged me or gave me the time of day without me having to hunt you down! Hell, I even busted you out of prison and you didn't even bother to **THANK **me!

"He didn't?" Shadow asked incredulously.

"I didn't?" Sonic repeated with confusion.

"NO," Amy shouted, "You didn't! You always treat me like I'm the biggest pain in the world! As if I'm nothing more than an annoyance! You always act like you're disgusted to even be seen with me! On top of that, you'd say anything just to get away from me! Like that cockamamie story about being sucked into a storybook!"

"Hey, that really happened!" Sonic defended. "Twice, in fact!" Amy scoffed, "On what planet? Who would believe a ridiculous excuse like that?" Sonic began to get irritated. "Hey, stranger things have happened!" Shadow shrugged. Neither he nor Amy could argue that particular point. "Tch, I don't even know why I'm bothering to speak with you," Amy continued, with a tone soaked in disdain. "Your attention span's always been pitiful. I bet you were distracted some rings or chili dogs and forgot all about me and-"

"Ok, that's enough!" Sonic shouted, no longer willing to have his character shredded like this. "I can handle criticism, but this is a bit much! And anyway, how do you expect me to act around you when every time you see me, you waste no time in cutting off my circulation and begging me to marry you? FYI, WE'RE BOTH UNDERAGE. On top of that, if any other girl even looks at me, you go ballistic! Heck, I heard you were raring to fight Blaze when she first showed up!"

Amy winced at that. "That was-"

Sonic cut her off, "Oh, and by the way, it's really annoying to have people assume we're dating when we're not. Do you really tell everyone that you're my girlfriend? I sure as shootin' don't date anyone who has to lie like that!"

Amy started to tear up in frustration from his tirade. "Why the hell are you bringing this up now?"

"Because you've been asking for it!" Sonic answered. "Yeah, I've ditched you more than once and I'm really, really, sorry for that, but can you honestly blame me? No guy in his right mind would stand still around a psychotic chick with a hammer!"

"'Psychotic'?"

"Yeah! What, you were expecting me to welcome crap like that with open arms? Give me a break, Rosy! How delusional are you?"

Amy was livid by the point. "I am NOT delusional, Sonic the Hedgehog! You take that back!"

"No way!" he replied.

"I'm warning you!"

"Ooh, I'm scared," he sarcastically replied.

"**THAT'S IT! **Amy dashed forward to attack Sonic, who charged her in response. Both hedgehogs were ready to duke it out...but their attacks were effortlessly halted by none other than Shadow.

"**THAT'S ENOUGH. BOTH OF YOU. You're making a scene.**"

Shadow gestured to the crowd Sonic and Amy's quarrel had attracted. Both human and Mobian looked upon the two teenagers with disappointment. Amy looked away in shame. "Well, this is embarrassing," said Sonic irritably. "I just came here to say hi and congrats to you guys. I didn't want all this to happen." Shadow scoffed in disgust. "Yeah, well, it did."

Before he could scold them further, a voice on the loudspeaker announced, "NOW ARRIVING: Soleanna Transit." Sonic silently thanked the announced and cleared his throat. "That your train, guys?"

"Yes," answered Shadow, as the train came to a stop before them and its doors opened. With a heavy sigh, Sonic looked at Amy and said, "Look, Amy, I'm sorry, all right? Seriously, I am."

"..."

"Amy?"

"...I should have let you die," she whispered. Amy then stormed inside the train, tears streaming down her face. Confused, Sonic asked, "What did she say? I didn't quite catch it."

"Nor did I," Shadow lied.

Sonic kicked the floor. "Shoot. This didn't turn out like I hoped." Shadow growled, "Of course it didn't. I warned you to keep away, didn't I? But, nooooo, you didn't listen. She's not ready to face you, you idiot."

"Well, I know that now!" Sonic sighed, "Look, I don't hate Amy in the slightest. I just-"

"Save it," Shadow said. "I really don't give a damn about your reasoning. The fact of the matter is, your presence is grating and getting in the way of her development. Now, I'm getting on this train and back to business. You just go back to your pointless running around."

Sonic folded his arms and glared. "Hmph. Yeah, I'll do that, so long as you keep acting like you don't have feelings for her." Shadow said, "I told you, I-"

"Save it," Sonic shot back. "I can tell when someone's into someone, believe it or not, and you've definitely got something for Amy. Personally, I think she'd be good for you, Shadow."

"Bullsh-"

"I'm serious, bro," Sonic continued with a warm smile. "I don't know if you've noticed, but you've become a little more open since you started training her." Shadow replied uneasily, "You don't know what you're talking about, and neither do I."

At that moment, the loudspeaker piped up again. "The train headed for Soleanna will be departing soon."

Shadow inwardly sighed in relief. "With that, this pointless conversation is over, and not a moment too soon." Sonic smirked. "Heh, sure. Later, man." Shadow turned and boarded the train. As Sonic watched it leave, Tails came up behind him, clad in a blue and yellow hoodie, with matching shorts. "Sorry, I'm late, Sonic. Hope you weren't too bored." Sonic glanced back at him. "Nah, I'm good. Amy and Shadow just left." Tails gasped. "Really? How are they doing?" Sonic smiled and looked back at the train as it disappeared into the distance. "They're doing just fine, Tails."

* * *

The ride to Soleanna began in silence, with Amy silently fuming and shuddering, trying her best not to cry. Shadow simply let her be. After a few minutes, she began to sniffle a little. Shadow silently brought her close to him. Amy quickly latched on to him and sobbed quietly.

After a while, Amy spoke. "Shadow...am I really that terrible?" He answered," No, Amy. Not anymore." Amy sniffled again. "I've still got a long way to go, though, right?" Shadow nodded. She looked up at him, still teary-eyed, and asked, "Will I get there?" He looked back at her with a small smile. "Yes. We'll get you there, together."

Amy gives Shadow a small smile of her own and snuggled into him. For his part, Shadow showed no signs of disdain.

_'"Good for me," huh? I'll believe that when I see it.'_

* * *

_Look, I feel this has been building up for a while: Amy's frustration at Sonic ditching her, and Sonic's frustration at Amy's persistence. Crap like that needs to be aired and let go, lest it fester and rot.  
_

_Keeping it all in does more damage than good. Trust me.  
_

_Thank you for reading.  
_


	21. Phase 2 Begins

**Wow, 20+ chapters in, huh? I never thought I'd get this far, to be honest. ****Thanks for your support, everyone.  
**

**Here, Amy's training will awaken an interesting ability, which will prove crucial later. Kudos to those who spot it this early on.  
**

**Amy and Shadow are owned by Service Games (SEGA).  
**

* * *

"Wow! New venue!" Amy exclaimed as she and Shadow arrived in Soleanna's Tropical Jungle Zone, which was true to its name. Big trees, raging waters and the appropriate wildlife. It was truly quite the spectacle to behold. "It's not exactly 100% safe," explained Shadow, "but otherwise perfect for the next phase of your training."

Amy glanced at Shadow curiously, and he tossed her the green Chaos Emerald. "First," he said, "focus on that Emerald. Sync yourself with its energy and form." Amy nodded and concentrated, putting all of her focus on the gem. After 5 minutes, the Chaos Emerald began flashing. Within moments, it lifted into the air and began hovering. Amy smiled proudly, happy that she was able to do something never even thought was possible for her.

"Very good," Shadow commended, before snatching the Emerald and using it to create a blinding flash of light. While Amy rubbed her eyes, he reared back and chucked it into the deeper parts of the jungle. By the time Amy could once again see properly, she was shocked to see that the Chaos Emerald was gone. "Huh? Where...?"

Shadow simply said, "Now you have to find it, using the energy sensing you've learned thus far." Amy was gobsmacked. "You really expect me to find it way in there?" Shadow nodded. "And you have until dusk to do so, or you don't eat."

"WHAT?"

Shadow folded his arms at her antics. "I'd get busy. You're burning daylight yelling at me." Amy stared at him blankly, still unbelieving of the task set before her. "...This is payback for making you lug all those bags, isn't it?" Shadow smirked and replied, "Of course not." He then disappeared via Chaos Control.

"Hey!" Amy shouted, "Get back here!"

She was answered with silence.

"Shadow! I know you're still out there!"

Silence followed.

"Damn it, Shadow!"

The accompanying silence became obnoxious and Amy groaned in irritation, pacing back and forth as she fumed. "That jerk! And I finally had the nerve to **snuggle **with him! He's probably laughing at me right now! He just wanted to mock me! When I find him I-!"

She suddenly stopped pacing and mentally went over her rant. _'Wait a sec. He_ will _laugh as long as I'm giving him something to laugh_ at_. I get upset too easily and jump to silly conclusions. This is exactly what Sonic was talking about. I need to take a step back and calm down.'_

Amy remained still, inhaling and exhaling. After a minute or so, she felt calmer. _'That's better. Now, to find that Chaos Emerald.'_ She closed her eyes and focused. _'Try to remember how it felt to have it in my hands. Tune myself to its energy...concentrate...concentrate...' _A few moments passed before her eyes flash open and she looked to the west. "There!" With that, she was off!

Hours pass as Amy rushed through the forest, leaping gracefully through the trees. She searched high and low, but had little luck. Every time she felt herself getting closer, she would search a spot, but come up empty, forcing her to center herself again and sense its energy. By the time the sun began to set, she had learned to continually sense it. Finally, she found the Chaos Emerald, hanging in a tree branch overreaching a cliff.

Amy rolled her eyes. "It figures." As she approached the branch, Amy's spines stiffened and she glowed with a teal light for a split second. She then said, "The branch is weak. It could give way at any moment." Looking at said branch, it did look rather weak. This new information puzzled Amy. "Wait, what? How did I know that? Huh." She then shrugged. "Well, whatever."

Amy precariously climbed the tree and balanced herself upon the branch like a tightrope walker, breathing evenly and keeping her posture steady. When she reached the Emerald, she slowly bent down (unintentionally giving a great view of her toned rear) and plucked the Chaos Emerald from its resting place.

Amy held up the green Chaos Emerald, closely inspecting it. _'You know, every now and then, I can't help but wonder where these things came from. I know Knuckles' clan has had them for the longest, but they didn't make them. These gems had to have come from somewhere...'_

Suddenly, a breeze blew through, breaking Amy out of her musing and reminding her where she was. "I can ponder this later. Right now, I need to find Shadow so I can eat."

Carefully, Amy turned around and went back the way she came. However, she wasn't even halfway before she started glowing again. At that moment, a vision came to her: The branch snapped and gave way, sending her over the cliff. Quickly, she leapt off the branch, grabbing a large root. From there, she jumped back to the top. The vision ended there and Amy was brought back to reality. Then, the branched snapped and Amy saved herself...just as the vision directed.

Once she was safe on the cliff, Amy looked over and watched the branch fall to the river below. "Ok...that was weird," she mused. "That was my first psychic vision in forever! But, I don't have my tarot cards with me, so how did I...?" She tried to figure out how she did such a thing, but could not come to a conclusion. "Hmm. Well, I guess it doesn't matter right now," she decided as she held up the Chaos Emerald with a proud smile. "I got what I came for! Now to find Shadow!" Amy focused on the Emerald and, after a minute, her eyes shot open once more and another vision flashed in her mind's eye, this one showing Shadow's exact location. She did not question it this time. "There you are, baby..." With a smirk, she began running.

* * *

Shadow stood waiting high in the ruins. Feeling bored, he decided to test his speed and jumped down, hovers to the ground. Once meeting terra firma, he turned off his Air Shoes' propulsion systems and started running. He rushed past many trees and old pillars, going faster and faster. Coming up to a random spring, he launches himself high above the shallow water to the ancient architecture ahead, grabbing airborne Rings before landing on a vine sturdy enough for grinding. A slide here, a jump there and he was back on the ground, blazing a trail on his own speed. As he ran, he came across several instances where he could have used his Chaos abilities, but he forced himself to use his natural abilities to make it through.

As he came to the exit of an enclosure, he sensed a Chaos Emerald coming towards him. "Hmph. Took her long enough." He skidded to a stop and waited. "3...2...1.." Quickly, he used a spinball jump to narrowly dodge an attack from Amy, who landed onto the nearby wall. "Shoot!" she exclaimed with a pout. "I could've sworn I had you that time!"

Shadow scoffed. "Who do you think you're dealing with here? I'm not one of the Doctor's useless pawns. Anyway, judging from the Chaos energy radiating from you, I'm assuming you got the Emerald?"

"Yep!" Amy happily displayed the green Chaos Emerald with a V sign, beaming with pride. Shadow gave her a barely noticeable smile. "Well done, Amy. A deal's a deal. Let's find something to eat, shall we?"

"Indeed we shall, babe," Amy said, walking on ahead.

Shadow blinked. _'"Babe?"'_

* * *

_Interesting, eh? Thank you for reading and let me know what you think.  
_


	22. New Developments

**Amy and Shadow are owned by Service Games (SEGA).  
**

* * *

In the two years since she first began her training with Shadow, Amy continued to grow stronger, mentally and physically. Her increasingly voluptuous body could now take much more punishment, and her fighting style became slightly more complex, though it still had her erratic touch. Her proficiency with Chaos Energy was also improving, albeit slowly. Shadow continued to test Amy's new skills by hiding her Chaos Emerald further and further out in more complicated spots picked to challenge her tenacity. She was nearly killed more than once, but her visions, now coming more frequently, saved her life. When she did find it, she had to track down Shadow, who was doing training of his own to test his natural speed and not depend on his Air Shoes as much.

* * *

One day, Amy was channeling Chaos Energy through her form. Shadow watched, as stoic as always, though he can't help but roam over her features with the faintest sense of hunger in his eyes, in spite of himself.

Amy's eyes remained closed in concentration as she spoke. "There's a difference between studying my progress and ogling my body, you pervert." Shadow thought to himself, _'What the hell is she talking about?' _Before he could reply, she said, "You know perfectly well what I'm talking about, Shadow."

_'What the fu-'_

Amy glared and said, "Watch your mouth!"

Shadow glared back and snatched the Emerald away from her. "Ok, Rosy, spill it. How are you able to read my mind all of a sudden?" Amy gave him a neutral look, despite being all giggles inside. "Well, over the past few months, I've been receiving visions; brief flashes of my immediate future. So far, they've only concerned dangerous situations, like your sadistic Emerald hunts." That comment earned a snicker from Shadow. Amy continued, "So, I've been practicing stretching my mind out based on the feeling I get when a vision hits. Today was just my first test."

"Hmm, psychic talents... That sounds somewhat similar to Silver's ESP," Shadow reasoned. Amy asked, "Silver? That white hedgehog who was at Sonic's birthday party?" Shadow nodded. "Yes, though he's mainly versed in Psycho Kinesis. Tell me, have your telepathic abilities only recently surfaced or have they always been there?" Amy pondered the question for a moment and answered, "Um, well, I've always been able to use my Tarot cards well, if only to find Sonic. It's how I first met him, in fact."

_'I see,'_ Shadow thought to himself, _'It's only been a hobby to her until now, but now that her mental block is gone, her psychic abilities are beginning to manifest themselves.' _Amy's expression turned to confusion as she asked, "Excuse me? What 'mental block'?"

Shadow growled in irritation and said, "First of all, stop doing that. It's rude. Secondly, I'm referring to Sonic. Ever since you two met, he's become your main focus for everything you do. While the motivation helped some aspects of your growth, it's mainly stunted it. Now that he's not the driving force behind your actions – I assume – you've been able to grow and *ahem* develop the way you were meant to."

Amy smirked and folded her arms beneath her now impressive, yet modest chest. "Is that so?"

Shadow nodded, but before he could continue, he was suddenly hit by an extremely suggestive vision of Amy and himself, causing him to blush. "What the-!" Amy just giggled perversely. _'Test 2 successful!'_

"D-Did you just...?" Shadow asked.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Amy answered innocently. "Continue."

Shadow shook off his confusion as best he could. "All right. As I was saying, since your mindset is now more on the woman you need to be, rather than the girl you thought Sonic wanted, your body has been released from that strong mental hold that was over you, and is making up for lost time, resulting in your current growth spurt."

Amy shrugged in understanding. "Maybe, but, so quickly? And this much?" She casually ran her hands down her body, causing Shadow's blush to spread uncomfortably. "Perhaps you were meant to be an early bloomer." Amy replied, "Perhaps." She then noticed Shadow's face and smirked. "You're blushing, Shadow."

_'Damn,'_ Shadow thought. "Don't be ridiculous. Why would I blush because of you?" Amy stepped very close to him and lowered her voice. "Why indeed..." Shadow scoffed halfheartedly and said, "You're getting rather bold for a girl your age." Amy smiled, her face inches away from his. "I am maturing quickly, you know." Shadow's own voice lowered as he said, "This is true, but caution is needed. You may find yourself in a compromising position." Amy's heart was pounding as she got close enough to kiss him. "Is that right? Maybe I want to be compromised..." Shadow began moving closer himself. "Your lack of tact will get you in trouble..." Amy whispered, "**Let it.**"

At that very moment, an explosion rang out in the distance, which raised Shadow's attentions. "What the hell was that sound?" Amy looked agitated as she asked, "What sound?"

"We should probably check it out," Shadow said. "Let's go." He then took off towards the source of the explosion.

Amy growled and began stomping the ground. "Damn it, damn it, damn it!" Her fit continued for a few more seconds before she ran after her love.

* * *

_Updates might be sparse for a bit. College is resuming and I have work (if you can call it that), as well. I'll keep everyone posted. Thank you for reading.  
_


	23. Rumble in the Ruin

**Shadow and Amy are owned by Service Games (SEGA).**

* * *

Shadow and Amy traveled towards the source of the explosion, eventually arriving at a particularly old ruin. While ruins were nothing new in the kingdom of Soleanna, these were notable for having echidna architecture.

"Amazing..." Shadow commended in amazement. "Just how far back does Knuckles' line extend?" Amy, sharing Shadow's surprise, shook her head and said, "I'm not sure, but what caused that explosion?" An all too familiar voice answered, "That would be me."

Shadow and Amy turned to see Dr. Robotnik, in all his mechanical extravagance, piloting a grandiose mech, as always, along with an army of robots. Accompanying him were Zero and Metal Sonic. "Doctor," Shadow acknowledged curtly. Amy, for some reason, found herself unable to speak. "Fancy running into you two here, of all places," Eggman said with a smirk. Shadow just scoffed. "What exactly are you doing in Soleanna, Doctor?"

Eggman replied, "Oh, nothing that concerns you. I just need those Chaos Emeralds you have. If you'd be so kind as to..." Shadow cut him off, "Shut it. You wouldn't have brought all these junk heaps if you really expected a simple transaction. Now cut the crap and let's get this over with." Eggman frowned with visible distaste "How rude. Sonic certainly has been rubbing off on you, Shadow." The Black Blur growled, "You won't live to regret that statement, Doctor..."

Shadow immediately unsheathed his personal katana blade and started slicing through the robot horde. Amy wanted to join him, but she couldn't. Metal Sonic stared at her, unmoving. Images of her earlier nightmare began to flash in her mind... The fear...the helplessness...it all came rushing back to her in a tidal wave of emotions. She was completely paralyzed. _'Why?'_ she thought to herself, _'Why can't I move? It was only a dream, nothing more. So, why can't I fight?'_ Metal Sonic continued glaring at Amy and Eggman noticed. He chuckled. _'Perfect.' _Casually, he then ordered, "Alpha Team, take care of Miss Rose."

On command, Zero lead his small team of robots and attacked Amy while she was vulnerable, greatly damaging her. Shadow noticed and dashed to help but Metal Sonic blocked his way. Shadow tried to warp past him, but, as if mocking him, Metal warped to wherever he tried to go to. Feeling frustrated, Shadow simply attacked the robot with his katana. However, Metal Sonic dodged each slash before knocking the blade away from him and countering with a Spin Dash. Shadow quickly got up and charged up a Light Speed Attack. Metal Sonic did the same. With matching glares, they launched toward each other, clashing hundreds of times in mere seconds. After a while, they landed on the ground. Shadow was beginning to tire a little, and Metal started to smoke.

Meanwhile, Amy was struggling to stand. She was in much pain and didn't know how much more she could take. Suddenly, a shadow looming over her. It was Zero. Amy sat down on the ground, frightened. "No, no! Get away from me...!" Zero ignored her plea, getting closer and closer. On the verge of tears, Amy started begging, "No...stay away! Please, don't hurt me..."

She then heard a voice coming from a newly installed speaker on Zero's chassis. It was Eggman's voice. "Do not worry, my dear. He will not harm you...ifyou give me the Chaos Emerald you possess." The girl processed the words and shakily presented the green gem "Here..."

"Amy, what is wrong with you?!"

Amy gasped as the loud, outraged voice of Shadow the Hedgehog rang out, cutting through her fear like a Spin Attack through a Badnik.

"I sure as hell do not remember training you to be this weak, or to resort to something as low as bargaining for your life! Do not let something as intangible as a nightmare control you! You are more than capable of handling these losers, so get it together right now!" He blocked a strike from Metal Sonic and looked Amy in the eye. "You are strong, Amy Rose, now **act like it**!"

Shadow's words jolted Amy back to reality. Zero reached for the Chaos Emerald but he was then roughly halted by an unknown force. Amy's spines began to wave slightly as she glared darkly at Zero with a teal glint in her eyes. Her spines flared out and the robot was thrown back to his master's side.

_'Shadow...thank you.'_

With renewed vigor, Amy grabbed a broken tree branch and entered the fray, smashes a good deal of robots with it before it broke, forcing her to finish her end with her bare hands. Shadow launched a Chaos Spear point-blank, shorting him out. As Shadow tossed Metal back to Eggman, the battle was over.

Eggman sighed. "Hmph. This is certainly disappointing." With her sass returned, Amy shouted, "What, no indignant outbursts, Dr. Eggman? No childish tantrums or promises of revenge?" Eggman glared at her. "You underestimate me, girl. Both of you. Do you really think you've beaten me that easily? One day, you will learn not to sell your opponent so short." Shadow rolled his eyes and said, "If you've got more, bring it so we finish beating you."

"What did I just say about-" Eggman stopped mid sentence, deciding that more threats would be a waste of his breath. "Hrm. Never mind." This slapped a look of puzzlement on Shadow's face. The doctor continued, "Before I go, I'm interested in that nightmare you mentioned." Amy was silent about that, so Shadow spoke for her. "What of it?" Eggman continued, "I'm just surprised, and pleased, that my genius has left such deep mental scars." He grinned. "Do my robots intimidate you that much, Amy?"

Amy flinched. "O-Of course not. They have nothing to do with it!" The doctor chuckles knowingly. "You're a poor liar, my dear." Shadow was fuming by this point. His fingers were shaking, and he was fiercely resisting the urge to put a bullet through Ivo's head. The fact that he didn't know why he felt this way only served to fuel his rage. "**Leave, Doctor. Now.**"

Eggman was only mildly intimidated by Shadow's actions. He did not fear the hedgehog, but knew from experience that his grandfather's creation did NOT make empty threats, verbal or not. "Ok, ok. I guess I've gathered enough data for now. Farewell!" With that, and a courteous bow, Dr. Robotnik used a teleporter to phase Zero, Metal Sonic and himself out of the area. As they went, Metal made a slitting motion on his throat and pointed directly at Amy. Then, they were gone.

Amy exhaled loudly. "Finally." Shadow nodded, his anger cooling. "Yeah." _'But what did he mean by "data"?' _Amy turned to Shadow and said, "I'm sorry. I guess that dream affected me more than I thought." Shadow promptly walked over to her and held her face in his hands, softly glaring into her eyes. "Listen to me, Amy. I don't know what kind of hold the Doctor's machines have over you, but you must overcome it. What if they had truly been after your life or someone else's?"

"..." She could not argue that point. That kind of hesitation could serve to be fatal.

Shadow moved his hands to her shoulders and went on, "One day, someone will be depending on you to save them, not the other way around. You can't afford to allow fear or hesitation to stop you from fighting. That could very well mean death. Do you understand?" Amy nodded and he said, "Good. It would be a shame if I lost my student."

Amy looked upon Shadow with respect and adoration and held his own face. "Thank you, Shadow. I owe you so much." He looked touched as he replied, "As I said, you can pay me back by not wasting my time." Amy smiled warmly, moving closer to him. "Your words used to feel much colder, Shadow." He said to her, "You used to be a weak little girl, Amy. Time has changed us, it seems." The two hedgehogs became lost in each other's eyes as their faces got closer...closer..._closer_...

Without warning, an already broken tree finally collapsed, catching on fire from the flames of the battle's various explosions, forcibly grabbing their attention. Shadow immediately backed away.

"Come," he said. "We'd better douse these flames before they get out of control."

"Those aren't the flames you need to be dousing, Shadow..." Amy said through gritted teeth.

Shadow was a few steps away when he turned back. "Huh? What did you say?"

Amy just sighed in exasperation. "Nothing, nothing." Once again, Shadow's face looked puzzled.

* * *

_I'll try to update when I can. _


	24. Meanwhile

**Time to switch perspectives for a sec.**

**Characters owned by Service Games (SEGA).  
**

* * *

A lone plane soared the skies, seemingly without a care in the world. The pilot, however, could not say the same. Sonic the Hedgehog was flying his personal biplane, the Tornado, searching for Chaos Emeralds in order to keep them from Eggman's grubby hands. While he was psyched to foil the doctor's plans once again, he had quite a bit more on his mind.

His fight with Amy bothered him. Had he really been _that _cruel to her? Sure, he'd left her behind, and he had plenty of reason to do so, but he had no idea his behavior hurt her that much. He didn't like being responsible for someone's sadness...not one bit.

Suddenly, a voice crackled from the radio. "Sonic! Sonic, come in! You're stalling! Pull up!" Waking up from his musing, Sonic realized the voice was right! The Tornado was going down fast! He pulled up on the throttle as hard as he could until the plane soared back up in an upward arc. Exhaling in relief, Sonic maneuvered the Tornado until it was flying level again. Shorty after, Tails appeared, using his special gifts to fly next to the plane.

"Sonic, what happened?" Tails asked on the two-way radio. "This is not like you at all." Sonic nodded and said, "I know, Tails. I guess I've got a lot on my mind today." That just made the kit even more worried. He thought about what could possibly be bothering him that much. Being the smart kid he is, it didn't take long for Tails to figure it out. "It's Amy, isn't it?" Sonic sighed. "Yeah. I guess the argument we had is bugging me more than I thought it would." Tails nodded. "That's kind of a good thing, isn't it? It shows that you care, if you ask me." Sonic shrugged from the cockpit. "I guess, but I'm still not cool with being a heartbreaker, you know? It makes me feel all guilty and stuff, and that pisses me off. I mean, it's not like I could lie and say that I liked her when I don't. So, I ran. How was I supposed to know she was hurt by it?"

Tails tried to keep from shaking his head. "Sonic, it's like I said earlier. You feel bad about this because you care. Besides, you've always been a good friend to her when she wasn't all over you, right?" When Sonic nodded, Tails continued, "Then you're not a bad person. You just need to be more aware of her feelings. Not telling her you weren't interested to keep from hurting her was a good gesture, but it was just as harmful. I think finally being straight with her was the best thing you could have done for her as a friend. Now she's been able to move on, you know?"

After a moment, Sonic smiled. "How'd you get so damn smart, little bro?" Tails chuckled humbly, as per his nature. Deciding to tease him a little, Sonic said, "You know, I'm sure Cream would be interested in hearing some of your advice, too." That comment made the kit blush in spite of himself. "I-I don't know what you mean, Sonic!" Just then, the Tornado started beeping, much to his relief. "Hey, we've found a Chaos Emerald!"

Sonic smirked. "Looks like it, Tails. Go on ahead and I'll find a place to land." The boy flew off and Sonic began to bring the Tornado down. He felt better, but one thing still tugged at his mind. How was he supposed to get Amy's forgiveness? As far as he knew, she hated him now. _'One thing is for sure. Our next meeting won't be fun...'_

* * *

_Let me repeat that while Sonic does have some jerkish qualities (cocky, impatient, full of himself), he's not a cold, heartless asshole, nor should he be portrayed as such. Many people who view him in such a light either prefer other characters to him or have simply taken his American adaptations up to eleven for the sake of 'tude._

I believe it's better to portray Sonic, and all characters, correctly and in character. If you know they wouldn't say or do something, don't have them do it. The exception to this is, of course, for good, solid narrative. Like, character development.

But, anyway, I'm starting to ramble.

_Hope you enjoyed this chapter. The next one will be the one you've been waiting for (maybe).  
_


	25. TwentyFive Shades of Chaos

**One glance of the chapter's title - along with a few moments of thought - should tell you what's gonna happen here.**

**Amy and Shadow are owned by Service Games (SEGA).  
**

* * *

Amy's training continued steadily as time went by. Her Chaos potential grew to the point of being usable, her psychic powers got stronger and stronger and her physique became, for lack of a better term, womanly. Shadow has found himself staring at her longer than necessary, which has troubled him greatly. To make things worse for him, his own training had come to a standstill. At first, his natural speed had grown without the use of his Air Shoes, but now it seemed that he couldn't quite reach Sonic's limit of 760 miles per hour.

* * *

_'Damn it,'_ he thought to himself one day, _'She's getting stronger and stronger, that much is clear. If we were to spar, she might just beat me. Maybe I need to push myself more, too.'_ Amy herself was discreetly listening to Shadow's thoughts during her exercises. _'Hmm. Guess he's feeling intimidated by my progress. But what am I supposed to do about it? It's not like I can stop progressing. I'm not about to hold myself back to soothe his ego.'_

Shadow made his decision and cleared his throat to get Amy's attention. "All right, Amy, that's enough warming up. You've been making rapid progress lately, so I think it's time to do something different." Amy stood up slowly with her back to him. "Another all-out sparring match?" Shadow nodded. "Yes. For this match, you will use your Chaos Emerald."

"Huh?"

"You have been doing plenty of exercises to get yourself in tune with its energy," Shadow clarified. "Now I want to see how well you can use its energy in battle." Amy kept silent, waiting for Shadow to finish.

"I will be using my abilities to their fullest extent, so be prepared. If you don't come at me with the intent to kill, you will not succeed. Got it?" Amy answered, with a blush on her face, "Very well, then. Let's go." Shadow thought, _'Hm. She doesn't seem as eager this time. She's up to something.'_Amy got into stance as she muttered, "Oh, I'm up to something all right, Shadow..."

The two stared each other down. In the distance, an crow cried out. Shadow immediately fired a barrage of Chaos Spears at Amy, who barely manages to dodge them. While she was distracted, Shadow warped behind her and kicked her in the back, knocking her to the ground. He quickly followed that up with a sliding kick, which Amy evaded. Their fisticuffs lasted for a good while and cost both hedgehogs a sizable amount of Rings, with Shadow landing a few attacks that nearly broke Amy in two.

Amy herself landed some blows as well, though they were too weak to do bone-breaking damage to someone like Shadow. She soon created an opening and with no hesitation, she grabbed Shadow's left arm and swung him around, throwing him at a tree. Shadow rebounded off of it, though and zeroed in on Amy with a Homing Attack. But, with a smirk, she kicked him into the air like a soccer ball. Shadow, however, used the opportunity to launch another Chaos Spear barrage downward.

Amy was undeterred. Lifting her Chaos Emerald over her head, she managed to block most of the shower. She then quickly grabbed a Spear, charged it and launched it back at Shadow! "What the hell-!" He tried to send another Chaos Spear, but was too slow. He was hit dead on, and was sent back down to Earth amidst a shower of Rings. Amy charged forward with Chaos Emerald in hand, preparing another attack. Growling, Shadow twisted in the air and gave an angry shout...

**"CHAOS BLAST!"**

The Ultimate Lifeform's most destructive technique eliminated everything within a 10-yard radius. Amy was blown back and greatly damaged, slamming into a tree. She was not expecting that attack at all, and her Rings were now gone. Shadow gave her no quarter and dashed towards her with a Chaos Lance! "It is time to end this!"

_'Geez, he's really trying to hurt me!'_ thought Amy frantically. _'All right, no more playing around!_With an expression seething with rage, Shadow threw the Chaos Lance at her, forcing Amy to stand up quickly. With great concentration, she focused on the Lance. The energy-formed object suddenly stopped mere centimeters away from her face. It then turned around. With a small nod, she sent it right back.

Shadow was dumbfounded as his Chaos Lance halted in from of his own face. Amy walked up to Shadow, hips swaying. The Chaos Emerald she held in her right hand flashed and the Lance changed color from yellow to light green. It then split into three copies, all aimed for Shadow's head at a different angle. Amy moved a Spear aside and stood directly in front of Shadow, breathing heavily. "It's over, Shadow," Amy said in a low tone, shivering from the pleasure of the fight. "Surrender."

The hedgehog in front of her was still shocked and could not comprehend what had just happened. So, Amy read his thoughts. He wanted to know that the hell just happened. Amy stepped closer to his face, her chest heaving with each breath. "I'm using Psycho Kinesis. I learned how to a week ago. I'm still not that good at using Chaos energy, though, so keeping this up is taking a lot out of me." That explanation made sense, considering her growth. As understanding set in, Shadow's expression went from shock to misery. "Why do you not finish me, then?"

"Why should I?" Amy asked, her legs twitching. Shadow shut his eyes tight as he strained to answer. "I...lost." Amy licked her lips. "So?"

Shadow replied bitterly, "So why don't you end it? Your opponent may rise again to claim his revenge." Amy's tone of voice became somewhat hushed, taking on a timber one would not be used to hearing from her. "Then let him. I will always be ready." Shadow scoffed, "That's a soft outlook." Amy glared softly. "I don't care. I'm not going to finish you, Shadow." He was silent at that.

"I will, however, take my prize," she boldly stated as she grabbed his vest. "One I've been wanting for a long time..."

Before Shadow can respond or react, Amy pulled him into a deep, passionate kiss. Shadow was caught off guard as one kiss followed another with equal or greater emotion, with Amy moaning and pressing against him all the while. He could feel how badly she wanted this...and he could not help but return the kiss with matched vigor. As they kissed, the Chaos Spears dissipated in a bright flash around them, but that went unnoticed. The two continued kissing, stopping for air for a few vital seconds before resuming. Shadow pulled Amy toward him on the ground, as they explored each other's bodies thoroughly, doing whatever they could think of to make each other feel good. Amy ran her hands along his furred, toned chest and moaned. _'Oh, __**God**__...'_

Shadow squeezed her rear and her breasts, stopping himself from making noise of his own. _'How the hell has she grown so...damn...much...?'_ They went on like this for 30 minutes, before Amy wanted more. She wanted to be closer. Her body was on fire and wanted Shadow to satisfy her, but she did not know how. All she knew is that she wanted him **badly**. She sat up on his lap and desperately threw off her shirt, revealing her newly purchased bra, but when she reached for her sweatpants, she was stopped by Shadow.

"Don't."

"W-What?" said Amy in a daze. Shadow elaborated, "We will go no farther than this." Understandably, Amy looked agitated. "B-B-But...I want to." Her eyes became half-lidded and her tone of voice dropped an octave as she emphasized, "I..._**need**_you, Shadow." Noticing something beneath her, she added, "And I know you need me." Shadow blushed at how perceptive she was, but stated firmly, "No buts. It's too soon." Amy looked irritated and puzzled, but her expression soon softened to touched understanding. "I never figured you to be the type to take things slow, Shadow."

"I assume you consider me the one to just take you right here and now?" he asked. Amy's awkward silence answered that question and Shadow looked disgusted as he said, "Believe it or not, I get that assumption far too often. Let me just say that I prefer to think of myself as a somewhat of a gentleman. As such, I shall not be taking your flower this day, Miss Rose."

Amy sighed. His stance was respectable, and while she was still unsatisfied, she was glad he wasn't rejecting her. "All right. I'm willing to wait if you are, but what does this mean for...for us?" Shadow blinked. "What do you mean?" Amy blushed and said, "You know what I mean..." Shadow chuckled internally at Amy's regression from a heated young woman to a shy girl. As for her question, he did know what she meant, and his earlier bitterness returned. "I'm not ready for that, either."

Amy was about to ask why when she was cut off. "In case you've forgotten, I almost killed you earlier." Amy could not respond to that point. "I need to get stronger. I see now that I have been going too long under the arrogant assumption that my basic skills will always be enough to get the job done. I...I need to grow, as well. Besides, a weapon such as myself has no business being in a relationship with anyone."

Amy looked upon her love with sadness. Shadow looked to the side and said, "Hmph. I must sound rather lame to you. After all, I'm supposed to be the one training you." Amy just embraced him. "You are not lame, Shadow. And you are NOT a weapon. You're mortal and vulnerable, just like the rest of us. You just need to grasp that and learn from it. And for the record, you're a wonderful teacher."

"Hm. I bet Sonic would get a lot of mileage from this," said Shadow. Amy replied, "Yes, but he's not here. It's just you and me. Two hedgehogs with a lot to learn about each other." Shadow sighed and nodded in agreement. "Now then," Amy said suggestively, "Where were we?" Shadow wryly answered, "I believe we were making out."

Amy asked hopefully, "Shall we continue?" Shadow looked uneasy, but said, "I see no reason why not. We can figure out the rest as we go. But, there's something I've been meaning to ask you." Amy tilted her head to the side in curiosity. Shadow asked, "Do our sparring sessions turn you on or something?" Amy blushed. "...Yes." Shadow soon started grinning with masculine pride. "I knew it."

The two resumed kissing, even as the sun began to set. Shadow and Amy were unsure of what fate had in store for them as a couple, but they were willing to face it head on.

* * *

_Hope you enjoyed the *ahem* action. Thank you for reading. _


	26. Extreme Excavation

**Heh. The last chapter got as much response as I expected. While I'm glad y'all enjoyed what you waited for, I have to point out a few things:**

**First, I implore you to read the prologue to this story if you haven't already. It'll show just what triggered all this in the first place. Read Amy's Interlude, as well. The image attached to it shows how much Amy's grown in this story.  
**

**Second, I'd like to remind everyone that this fanfic is less about romance and more about character development for Amy and Shadow (mainly Amy). At the end of this, both hedgehogs will be stronger and more secure within themselves.  
**

**Sonic will do a bit of growing, too.  
**

**That'll do for now. Enjoy. Everyone involved is owned by Service Games (SEGA).  
**

* * *

Amy could not have been happier. Thanks to her training, she was continuing to develop in body and mind as the months went by.

Physically, her growth had finally started to slow down to a normal rate, leaving her figure sexy and strong for her age. On top of that, her Chaos Energy had begun to manifest itself, though she had a long way to go. Her psychic abilities, on the other hand, had grown rapidly. She could now see far into the future (though not at will) and could control things with her mind much like Silver the Hedgehog can, but for much, much longer before she got tired.

The best part, though, the part that made all the pain and struggle worthwhile to her, was the love she felt for Shadow. While she understood that his attraction to her was not as strong, that did not bother her in the slightest. He accepted her. He never pushed her away. Talking to him was refreshing. Sparring with him was invigorating. Kissing him...kissing him was in a totally different league. He was gentle, yet fierce, and he set her soul aflame with passion every time their lips met. It was all Amy could do not to beg him to take her on the spot. It wasn't easy, but she became content to wait until they could take things farther. For now, she was happy. She had found love again, and she was not going to blow it. Not this time.

* * *

One day, in the arid plains of of Soleanna's Dusty Desert Zone, a black blur was seen tearing through the landscape like a child through wrapping paper, dashing and leaping through obstacles. This was, of course, Shadow, training his body to be faster.

Ever since he chose to act on his growing attraction to Amy, he had decided to do some growing himself, for his own piece of mind, and for Amy's sake. He would not admit it readily, but her presence had warmed his heart whilst strengthening it, much like what a blacksmith does for a weapon. She had given him another chance to be a protector, not so much out of obligation, but because he truly wanted to. He cared for Amy, and the girl became more and more precious to him with each passing day, though he did not tell her this in so many words. Such sentiment wasn't his style, after all.

Coming fact to face with his own inadequacies wasn't his cup of tea, either.

In order to protect Amy, he was driving himself to be stronger, faster, and more powerful. This was a humbling process for Shadow, as he had not been used to bettering himself. As the Ultimate Lifeform, he had always considered himself to be the best at everything he did. In his eyes, he was **perfect**.

His existence thus far has done nothing but contradict that arrogant viewpoint.

He had failed to keep Maria safe...

He had met someone who actually rivaled him in nearly every conceivable way...

His life had been saved many times...

He was neither the fastest, nor the strongest being on the planet, and he was not the smartest, either. While his abilities were to be reckoned with, he had to admit to himself that there would always be forces better than him out there...and not all of them with the noblest of intentions. In order to stand a chance - and to protect the few people in his life he treasured - he _**had**_ to better himself.

This was what was going through his mind during his run through the desert, using his own speed. Soon, he happened upon a hole in the sand which looked suspiciously covered up with rocks.

_'Hmm. Now that is odd,' _he thought to himself and ran back to the hole. He walked around it, inspecting it carefully. "What's with this random hole? And why is it covered like this? I don't see any ruins around for miles, so there's no way whoever did this could have carried all these rocks out here just to plug this up. Something's down there..."

Deciding to investigate, Shadow jumped toward the spot and performed his Black Tornado technique rapidly until the rocks started to move. Within moments, they were thrown into the sky. Once the sand settled, Shadow jumped into the hole...only to have it close up above him.

"Of course. Well, no matter." He looked ahead of him and saw astounding cavern filled with jewels of all sorts, along with various mining equipment, all of which had an irritatingly familiar insignia.

_'So, the Doctor's here, is he? Most likely, he is still after the Chaos Emeralds...'_ Shadow's spines stiffened for a brief moment. _'...one of which is definitely down here. Sorry, Doctor, but I can't let you have it.' _With a devious smirk that promised trouble, he ran into the cavern.

* * *

The cavern was filled with robots of all sorts, mining the place for Chaos Emeralds. Supervising them all was Dr. Robotnik, along with his two henchbots, Orbot and Cubot. The Eggman had recently been dealt an humiliating defeat at the hands of Sonic and Tails three weeks ago, so now he was desperate to find an Emerald to even the odds. But, as he sat there in his Egg Mobile, he was getting increasingly frustrated with the lack of results. "Faster, damn you, faster!" he yelled at an exceptionally slow Egg Pawn. "Those Chaos Emeralds won't find themselves! I've already lost two of them because of your bumbling and I won't lose another!"

"Technically," cut in Orbot, "it was your bumbling that caused us to lose those Emeralds, Doctor."

With a growl, Eggman gave Orbot a very impressive backfisted smack. "Wow!" exclaimed Cubot, "That one echoed down the cavern!"

"SHUT UP!" Eggman yelled.

Shadow, who had arrived in time to witness the exchange, rolled his ruby red eyes at the Eggman's childishness. He stayed out of sight, scanning the area. _'Looks like they haven't found it yet. As much as I'd like to blow them all to kingdom come, I don't want to risk a cave-in and waste energy warping out.'_ Smirking, he added, _'Besides, it'll be fun to be sneaky for once.'_

With a plan in place, Shadow moved in. He stealthily snuck past the guards and miners, using mine carts to roll alongside and hide within. When necessary, he burrowed his way out of tricky spots when there was enough noise to cover him. After a while, he was deep within the cavern and out of Eggman's sights. He saw the cavern's end with about a hundred mining badniks digging. Within the rock, he can saw a speck of red.

_'That has to be the Emerald,'_ Shadow thought to himself. _'I can feel it. I'd best beat them to it before it's discovered.'_

Taking a chance, Shadow invoked Chaos Control, stopping time completely. He then ran up to the wall and, grabbing a pickaxe, smashed the red Chaos Emerald free. "Good. This makes four. I'd better get out of here before Chaos Control ends." Turning on his Air Shoes for the first time in months, Shadow skated as fast as he could past the security, pleased that his skating speed hadn't diminished. He jumped above Eggman, but at that moment, Chaos Control ended, allowing the doctor to notice Shadow above his head.

"What the-! Shadow?! He's got the Chaos Emerald! Stop him, you idiots, stop him!"

"Damn it all..." Shadow growled in annoyance.

A big chase ensued. Shadow was forced to dodge fire from mining lasers and Eggman's own missiles. As he skated, he had to throw back plenty of Chaos Spears to keep the heat off of him. This went on for some time until he came to a rail track. With no mine cart to ride, he decided to grind upon the rails to the exit. He was assaulted by many robots along the way, but quick thinking and sharp reflexes kept him safe, to which he owed his natural abilities and his training. Eggman saw how close Shadow was to escape and, ruthless as ever, launched a missile ahead of him that destroyed the rail at the end.

There was no room for error. Shadow made a leap of faith off the remains of the rail...and grabbed the edge! He managed to himself up, but suddenly, he felt a searing pain shoot through his right shoulder! Looking back in pain and rage, he saw who had shot him: Dr. Eggman himself, who was looking upon the hedgehog with mischievous contempt. Shadow internally cursed himself for not picking up any Rings.

"That was quite the stunt you pulled, you sneaky little rodent," Eggman sneered. "This is where your chutzpah has gotten you, though; with an injured arm and no exit." As robots surrounded Shadow, Eggman asked, "Now then, do you have anything to say for yourself before I pry that Chaos Emerald from your corpse?"

Shadow thought for a moment and answered, "Just two little words. But, why be so predictable?" Then, with an evil grin, he warped away.

Dr. Robotnik slumped in his cockpit in embarrassment. "...Sure, Ivo, corner and talk down to the kid with the ability to manipulate time and space. Real smart."

"I'll say!" agreed Cubot happily.

* * *

_This chapter reminds me: I **still**_ _haven't played the Wii version of Sonic Colors. Being broke sucks. At the risk of sounding my age (25), my younger readers really don't know how good they have it._

_Thank you for reading.  
_


	27. Boiling Point

**Shadow and the others are owned by Service Games (SEGA).**

* * *

Shadow was now safe topside, and far, far away from Eggman's excavation site, having warped himself back to the outskirts of Tropical Jungle. The moment he touched down, his arm pulsed in pain. "Damn it! The Doctor really got me good this time. The shot went right through." Knowing Amy wouldn't take kindly to it, he tore off a piece of his vest and wrapped it around the wound in an attempt to stop the bleeding. "Ok. Now to find Amy. It's time we made a strike against whatever the Doctor's new scheme is."

He was about to dash ahead when he heard a voice from the sky. "Shadow!" Startled, Shadow looked up to see Tails flying towards him. The Tornado 1 was not far behind.

"Tails...and Sonic?"

An hour had passed as Shadow, Sonic and Tails filled each other in. "So, I was right!" Tails stated as he finished properly treating Shadow's wound. "Dr. Eggman is still on the move! Whatever he's got planned, it must be big in order to have so many pieces." Sonic just shrugged as he lounged on a rock. "What else is new, Tails? Big or small, makes no difference to me. If it's Eggman, we'll take him down like usual."

Shadow then stated, "I recommend you two sit this one out."

"Huh? Why?" Tails asked. Shadow answered, "The Doctor's already made strikes against us. I would prefer to deal with this matter on my terms." Sonic was about to respond, but Tails interrupted, "Oh! How's Amy doing, by the way?"

"Quite well, I must say!"

The three turned around to see Amy herself walking towards them.

"Amy?" said Tails in bewilderment, "Is that you?" Amy beamed at the kit, twirling around to show off. "The one and only!" She then gave Tails a hug, which he returned happily. "You look a lot stronger, Amy!" he said. "I guess your training with Shadow has paid off!" Amy smiled and said, "Thank you! I really owe a lot to this guy." She then walked up to Shadow and kissed him. Shadow smirked in response as he held her close. The couple glanced at Sonic and Tails, but for some reason, they did not seem the least bit shocked.

"Hm? You're not surprised?" she asked. Tails bashfully replied, "We kinda already knew." Shadow asked, "How?" Sonic jumped off the rock he was laying on and answered with a smirk, "We spotted you two making out a while back. Naturally, we just couldn't disturb you. Heh heh." Shadow just glared. Amy, however, felt her anger with Sonic start to build again. For Tails' sake, she fought it down. "Shoot. I wanted it to be a surprise..."

"Sorry, Amy," said Tails. Amy said, "You have nothing to apologize for, Tails." She made it a point to avoid looking at Sonic. The Blue Blur knew perfectly well what she was doing, however, and cooly adjusted his jacket, keeping silent and nonchalant. Tails was a bit puzzled, but Shadow recognized the growing tension and it annoyed him. Enough was enough. "Tails, let's go."

"Huh? How come?" inquired the fox. Shadow lied, "I'm curious about your inventions." Tails asked, "Why are you all of a sudden..." Then his eyes widened in understanding. "...O-Oh. Ok."

Sonic blinked. Amy glared, as she knew damn well what he was doing. "Shadow..." He simply led Tails away by the shoulder and said, "We'll only be a moment, Rose. Try not to kill each other, ok?" Before she could protest, they were gone via Chaos Control, leaving Amy and Sonic alone.

Amy stood there, glancing at Sonic every so often. He looked bored. Many instances in their past flashed in her mind, times when he looked just as bored around her then as he did right that moment. The anger built up again...and it was boiling.

After a few more uncomfortable minutes, Sonic decided to break the ice. "So, how's the training going?" Amy sarcastically replied, "Oh, you actually care, Sonic? I'm touched." Sonic sighed in irritation. "Of course I do. You're my friend, Amy. You always have been." She just rolled her eyes. "You've got a crappy way of showing it."

That was it.

"All right, look. I've apologized numerous times and can keep doing it up and down until the cows come home, but it's been more than a freakin' year, Amy. If you want to stay mad at me, that's your problem, not mine." He then turned to leave, intending to look for Tails and Shadow. But, he could only take one step. He tried to move his other foot, but he couldn't. To add to his confusion, the rest of his body felt restricted as well. He racked his brain for a moment before it hit him! This was Psycho Kinesis! "What the heck?!" he exclaimed. "Is Silver here, too?" Straining, he turned his head and saw not Silver, but Amy, glaring daggers at him and glowing fiercely.

As Sonic tried to figure out what was going on, all that was going through Amy's mind was rage. Undistilled, bottled up rage that had reached its limit. He had turned his back on her, blown her off...AGAIN. Just like he always did! He NEVER took her seriously! EVER!

"Don't..."

"Amy…?" Sonic asked in befuddlement. "Since when can you-"

Amy stopped his sentence by using her PK to slam Sonic into a nearby of tree, over and over again as she yelled, "Don't you **dare** turn your **back** on me **again!**"

After a few more slams, which cost him Rings, she dropped him. Sonic knelt on the ground for a moment, as he was a bit shaken up. Fortunately, he lifted his head just in time to see a giant boulder slam down upon him, forcing him to dodge it with his Quick Step technique. Outraged, he whirled at Amy and shouted, "What the heck, Amy?! You could've killed me!"

Amy shot back, "I don't care! I've had it with your neglect, Sonic the Hedgehog! Now I'm gonna beat you down so hard, you'll never forget me again!"

Sonic bared his teeth. He had tried to avoid this, but she left him no choice. "You know what? FINE. If you want your little pink ass to be black and blue, then _**bring it on!**_"

* * *

_Next chapter...it's Sonic vs. Amy. And no matter who wins, something's getting settled. _


	28. Hedgehog Havoc: Battle

**So, yeah. It's _on_.**

**All characters are owned by Service Games (SEGA).  
**

* * *

The battle was fierce. Both combatants were seething with anger, frustration and bitterness. Each hedgehog had just one thing on their minds: THIS ENDS NOW.

Amy began by launching another rock towards Sonic. Anticipating this, he Spin Dashed straight into Amy before she could react, shredding into her. He quickly came out of the spin to kick her back a few meters before running forward and landing a few more kicks along with a punch to her solar plexus before knocking her back with his Sonic Flare move. Amy lost a lot of Rings from this assault but landed on her feet. Always one to maintain momentum in a fight, Sonic charged her again, but she stood her ground, falling back on the training Shadow gave her. She waited until Sonic was close and quickly grabbed him, hitting him with an uppercut, a backhanded slap and, after twirling behind him, an elbow to the back before tossing him aside by the quills amidst more scattered Rings.

Sonic got angry from this, of course and revved up another Spin Dash, but Amy, enraged as well, ran towards him. As Sonic launched forward, she gracefully kicked him into the air. She then jumped off her previous rock, grabbing the stunned Sonic and attacking with a knee to the stomach, a headbutt and a roundhouse kick, which sent him hurtling to the ground with a thud.

Earth's hero was not enjoying where this fight was headed as he shook off the attack he'd just endured and tried to pick up some lost Rings. "...Geez, Shadow," he muttered, "I think you trained her a little too well." Something then came to him: shouldn't have Amy fallen down by now? In confusion, he raised his head...and saw Amy hovering above him! "What the-! Since when can you float like that?! Are you using Chaos Energy or somethin'?"

Amy looked at him and smugly answered, "No, dumbass. It's ESP. And no, Silver or whoever didn't teach me. I learned it on my own." Sonic smirked in approval. "Huh. Impressive, Amy, I gotta say. But it's not gonna help you much. I've whooped ESP before." Amy sneered at him. "That arrogance is going to get you in deep trouble someday, Sonic. When that day comes, don't expect to be rescued." He rolled his eyes at that remark. "Pfft, please. Like I need to be rescued by a lunatic stalker like you. If anything, I'm always the one bailing out your sorry butt."

"You take that back!" Amy growled. "Make me, bitch," said Sonic with a frown. When Amy heard that, she immediately started glowing brightly and her quills flared out in radiant fury. "If you insist."

Suddenly, the ground started to shake beneath Sonic's feet. He attempted to make another quip, but the area around him was lifted upwards, resulting in an upheaval of landmass 50 yards in diameter. Sonic knew this was Amy's doing, but he had no idea she was already this powerful. With a glare, Amy slowly flipped the landmass upside down, sending Sonic into the resultant crater. As he landed, he casually brushed himself off. "Geez, you're serious, aren't you?" Before he could continue his sarcasm, he looked upwards and saw the landmass hanging right above his head. "...And, that would be a yes."

With a devious grin, Amy lowered her hands and brought the whole thing down. Dust, rocks and other debris became scattered across the landscape, completely decimating the area. Amy gradually hovered down to the ruined ground, looking about the area with a blank expression on her face. Soon enough, a vision of Sonic attacking her flashed in her mind.

"Hmph." She closed her eyes and concentrated. _'Sonic, I know you're still alive, and I know you can hear me. Stop wasting my time. Get out here and fight me.'_

"If you insist!"

Sonic spun at her from behind, as Amy's vision dictated. So, she twirls out of the way. However, Sonic quickly turned around mid spin and struck her. He did this again and again, spinning around and around her, knocking Ring after Ring out of her possession. He soon stopped spinning and slammed her down with an Axe Kick. Amy winced in pain, her Rings gone. "Damn it. I forgot...about your Light Speed Attack." Sonic smirked, despite being out of breath. Clearing that landmass was easy, but not getting hit from the rocks afterwards was difficult. "So..." he said between breaths, "You gonna give up? *pant* Or do I have to *pant* get tough?" Amy shot back, "Screw...you..." Sonic clicked his tongue distastefully. The two hedgehogs then resumed their bout, led by spite and stubbornness.

From a distance, Tails was concerned for his friends' safety and struggled to fly over and stop them, but Shadow kept him from doing so, grabbing his tails. The boy glared behind him and shouted, "Shadow, shouldn't we try to, you know, stop them?!"

"Absolutely not," he answered. Tails looked at Shadow like he had lost his mind (again). "But they're going to kill each other!" Shadow glanced at his fellow hedgehogs with a neutral expression. "Hmph. First of all, neither one of them has it in 'em to kill. Second, they need to do this. It's been building up for quite a long time, right?" He took Tails' subsequent silence as a "yes" and went on. "Sonic and Amy need to get this animosity out of their systems now, otherwise neither one of them will be able to move forward."

Tails sighed. "I know, I know. Still..." Shadow nodded and put his hand on Tails' shoulder. "Yeah, I don't like it, either. "But, it's for the best." With that, the two went back to watching the fierce battle before them, hoping that things didn't get any worse than they had to.

* * *

_This is what happens when anger isn't dealt with properly. ****__You explode._


	29. Damage Control

**Hm. Seems that more of you were rooting for Amy than for Sonic. Can't say I'm surprised, but I am disappointed. She's as much to blame as he is, as this chapter will address.**

**All characters are owned by Service Games (SEGA).  
**

* * *

Two hours passed. The landscape was torn up and decimated from the battle between Sonic and Amy. The two hedgehogs themselves didn't look any better. Amy was bruised all over, her clothes were ruined and her legs were broken, forcing her to rely on her Psycho Kinesis to levitate herself. As for Sonic, his own outfit was torn up, his right arm was broken, his left eye was swollen and his ribs were cracked. Despite all these injuries, however, they were both unwilling to quit.

"What's the matter, Amy?" Sonic taunted between painful breaths, "Can't *pant* keep up?" Amy glared at him. "...Asshole. *pant* Shut up..."

With their remaining strength, they charged at each other with their fists drawn, both desperately desiring to make the other hurt. But, all they did was pass out within attacking range.

The fight was over. Just like that.

* * *

Amy's eyes slowly fluttered open as she began to stir. She glanced around and found herself in a hospital. She tried moving her body, but found that she couldn't, as it was in a body cast. Looking ahead of her, she saw that Sonic was still unconscious, and in a body cast much like her own.

Suddenly, someone to her left cleared his throat. She flung her eyes around and saw Shadow, who had just finished cleaning his favorite pistol. "Good evening, Amy. I'm glad you've finally decided to awaken. Don't bother trying to speak; your jaw had to be wired shut." Amy sighed mentally. _'Peachy. How long was I out?' _Shadow answered, "Five weeks. The two of you were pretty banged up. Tails patched up what little he could so we could get you here safely." Amy looked dejected at that. _'I see. So, I lost, huh?'_

"Actually," said Shadow, "You both passed out before the final blow." Amy chuckled smugly. _'A stalemate, then. Good. He'll have no business bragging.'_ Shadow nodded with a frown. "Yes, and neither will you." He then raised his pistol and smacked Amy's left leg with the butt, causing her to belt out a loud, yet muffled scream. _'THAT REALLY, __**REALLY**__ HURT, YOU JERK!' _Shadow looked at her angry, pain-filled expression with cold apathy. "I certainly hope so. Now pay attention or you'll get another one. Here is your lesson for today."

Amy looked worried at that. Surely he wasn't going to make her train now?! As if reading her mind this time, he said, "Don't worry. I'm in a pop quiz mood today. Question 1: Whose fault is it that you're in this condition? **A)** Yours? Or **B)** Sonic's?" Amy immediately answered, _'Sonic's! Duh!'_ Shadow shook his head. "Wrong." Her leg swiftly received another smack from his pistol, earning another muffled scream from Amy. _'WHAT THE HELL! It wasn't my fault!'_

"Wrong again, love," Shadow said, this time smacking her right leg. Amy screamed once more, thrashing about from the pain. Shadow ignored her and said, "The answer is **C) **Both of you. The two of you have been childishly running around in circles ever since you met. You were too delusional and self-centered to see what he wanted and he was too much of a coward to tell you directly. Your irritation gradually built up for you both and exploded. And, as any idiot knows, explosions are painful."

_'Clearly,'_ thought Amy bitterly. Shadow nodded and raised his hand for another smack with his pistol. "Next question. This is an easy one: Should this foolishness continue?" Amy looked at the gun, then to Shadow, to Sonic, and finally to herself. _'...No.'_

"Correct, but why?"

_'We'll just get each other killed next time.'_

"Right again. Now, last question: What should be done now?"

Amy mentally sighed once more. _'We resolve this here and put this incident behind us.'_

Slowly, Shadow returned his gun to its holster and kissed Amy's cheek. "Congratulations. You pass." She rolled her eyes as he walked off, still angry from the pain he gave her. Suddenly, something occurred to her. _'Wait, did you give Sonic this quiz?' _Shadow stopped at the door and said, "Yes, a few minutes before you woke up."

_'Hm. How did he do?'_

"He was too busy being a wiseass," Shadow answered as he looked back with a sadistic grin, "so I put him back to sleep. He'll be back around in a few more weeks."

As the door closed, Amy shivered through her body cast. _'Shadow, sometimes you still scare me...'_

* * *

_Well...glad they got THAT out of their systems._

_Just a reminder, folks: Shadow's an antihero. This means that his view of right and wrong isn't as black and white as most. This extends to his methods of discipline. So, yes, he's gonna seem cruel to some of you. That's just the way he is._


	30. Amends

**All right, everyone. This is the last chapter. I thank you for following the story up to this point. It means a lot, especially right now.**

**All characters are owned by Service Games (SEGA).  
**

* * *

The road to recovery was a long and boring one. As Amy lay there in the hospital bed, she had plenty of time to think. Deep down, she knew Shadow was right. She and Sonic had indeed been going in a vicious circle. She would track him down and love on him, he'd run away, she'd chase after him and the cycle repeats. Looking back, she had no choice but to see that their routine had done little good. How could she possibly grow from such childish behavior? The more she thought about it, the more foolish she felt.

She watched Sonic across from her, still unconscious. He was another part of the problem. He refused to just tell her the truth for so long, that is, until that fateful day in Soleanna. She realized that he must have decided that enough was enough, but she still wasn't sure why he chose then to break it to her. Amy knew Sonic was a creature of whim, but he also didn't like being forced to do anything he didn't want to do. The concept of patience was often alien to him, as he preferred to do things right at that moment. She knew this very well, as she'd known him for a long time.

After some weeks of contemplation, she came to a revelation. What Sonic had said in Soleanna was true. He did not want to tell her that he truly wasn't interested in her that way, because he knew it would break her heart. He didn't want to make her sad or distressed, so he chose to bite his tongue and run. That, in his own weird way, was patience towards her. It also showed just how much he valued their friendship, just like he always went out of his way to rescue her in the past. Yes, the way he sometimes went about it was usually in a flippant, jerkass manner, but it couldn't be helped. He is a fifteen-year-old boy, and still has some maturing to do, as did they all.

As Amy came to this conclusion, she felt her anger towards her former idol slowly fade until her respect for him returned. However, any romantic notions she once had for him had not resurfaced. She still cared for him, of course, but she no longer felt it necessary to be that close to him. In its place, she recalled something, an old desire of hers that she had forgotten about...

She wanted to be as strong, as independent and as reliable as Sonic. That was what attracted her to him in the first place, and that admiration was still there, but she now knew that he'd never see her in a romantic light. This was the final point, and she let it sink in. In the end, she decided…that she was ok with that. She and Sonic were friends, nothing more…and that was fine. Once she fully accepted that, she smiled. Well, as much as she could with a healing jaw, that is.

"Well, you're in a good mood this evening."

_'Speak of the speed demon,'_ Amy projected. _'I was just thinkin' about you.'_ Sonic looked annoyed at that. "If you're still pissed, I don't want to hear it." A number of retorts came to mind, but Amy dismissed them immediately. They were no longer required. _'That's good, because I'm not. Listen, Sonic. I've had a lot of time to think while we've been here, and I've realized something.'_ The Blue Blur was silent, but motioned his splintered right arm for her to continue. _'Well, you finally being honest with me that day 2 years ago was the best thing you've done for me.'_

Sonic blinked. "Huh? What are you-"

Amy cut him off. _'I know it didn't seem that way at the time. Yes, I was heartbroken, angry, heck, a small part of me didn't want to go on living. You were my entire world, Sonic, and without you, I didn't know what to do.'_ Sonic nodded. "Then Shadow came along, right?"

_'Yes. He was able to yank me from my misery before I got too deep. And while I was learning to live without you, I was still angry. I let the anger rot when I should have let it go. And look what happened.'_ Sonic shrugged in agreement. "No kidding." With some discomfort, he added, "I guess I'm to blame as well for losing my own temper. I was just irritated that things were going nowhere." Amy nodded as much as she could.

A couple of minutes passed by silently, the two hedgehogs in thought. Eventually, Sonic spoke up. "Listen, Amy. I'm-"

_'I'm sorry.'_

"Huh?"

_'I'm sorry, Sonic. For everything that's happened between us. I've been an annoying pain in your ass pretty much ever since we met. I know that now. I'm sorry for that, and I thank you for not completely writing me off, and for accepting me as a friend anyway.'_ Sonic blinked at her apology, as he wasn't expecting it at all. "Um, thanks. I've probably said this a million times already, but I'll say it one last time, since you're in a better mood. I'm sorry for my part in all this crap. I should've been straight up with you from the get go, but I wasn't. It was easier to just take off rather than just tell you the truth. I didn't wanna hurt you, but it looks like I did anyway, and I apologize for that."

Amy teared up a little. He actually meant it. 'Apology accepted.' She then gave him a genuine smile for the first time in years, which he returned. Things would be ok between them from this point on. They knew this, and were grateful for this chance.

"So, how are things with Shadow?"

_'A lady doesn't kiss and tell, Sonic.'_

"Heh. So now you're a lady? That's a news flash."

_'Sonic...you're ruining our moment.'_

"Wouldn't be the first time."

_'I can still use Psycho Kinesis, you know.'_

"Shutting up."

* * *

_All right, I think that'll do it. Black Petals started with Sonic and Amy, so I think it should end with them. However, don't think the story's over, as there are still loose ends to tie up._

_Thanks for reading and keep an eye out for the continuation. Also, feel free to look at my other stories.  
_


End file.
